IFPRI Discussion Paper 01840

May 2019

Nutrition Sensitive Food System

Policy Analysis and Investment Framework for Myanmar

Suresh Chandra Babu

Director General’s Office

INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), established in 1975, provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI’s strategic research aims to foster a climate-resilient and sustainable food supply; promote healthy diets and nutrition for all; build inclusive and efficient markets, trade systems, and food industries; transform agricultural and rural economies; and strengthen institutions and governance. Gender is integrated in all the Institute’s work. Partnerships, communications, capacity strengthening, and data and knowledge management are essential components to translate IFPRI’s research from action to impact. The Institute’s regional and country programs play a critical role in responding to demand for food policy research and in delivering holistic support for country-led development. IFPRI collaborates with partners around the world.

AUTHORS

Suresh Chandra Babu (s.babu@cgiar.org) is a Senior Research Fellow and Head of Capacity Strengthening Program, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington DC, and Extraordinary Professor, Agricultural Economics, the University of Pretoria, South Africa, 2017-2019.

Notices 1 IFPRI Discussion Papers contain preliminary material and research results and are circulated in order to stimulate discussion and critical comment. They have not been subject to a formal external review via IFPRI’s Publications Review Committee. Any opinions stated herein are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily representative of or endorsed by IFPRI.

2 The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on the map(s) herein do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) or its partners and contributors.

3 Copyright remains with the authors. The authors are free to proceed, without further IFPRI permission, to publish this paper, or any revised version of it, in outlets such as journals, books, and other publications.

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Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................. iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS....................................................................................................................v ABBREVIATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... vi

I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1

II. Food System Approach to Nutrition Outcomes .................................................................................... 2

III. Myanmar’s Food System and Nutritional Status .................................................................................. 6

Myanmar’s Nutrition Status .......................................................................................................................... 7

Why food system approach to nutrition? ...................................................................................................... 8

IV. The Diagnostic Review of Agriculture Development Strategy for Nutrition Sensitive Food SystemInterventions ......................................................................................................................................... 8

Results of ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

Country context ......................................................................................................................................... 8

Food and Agriculture Policy Chronology .............................................................................................. 13

V. Operational Framework for Nutrition Sensitive Food System ........................................................... 19

VI. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 25

References ................................................................................................................................................... 26

List of Tables

Table 1: Key players in Myanmar's agriculture system .............................................................................. 13 Table 2: ADS pillars, objectives and outcomes .......................................................................................... 16

List of Figures

Figure 1: Conceptual framework of food systems ........................................................................................ 3 Figure 2: Interconnectedness of poverty, food security, and nutrition.......................................................... 5 Figure 3: AIT operational framework ......................................................................................................... 20 Figure 4: Food systems approach to nutrition ............................................................................................. 21

List of Annexes

Annex 1: Laws and policies implemented in Myanmar .............................................................................. 30 Annex 2: ADS diagnosis for nutrition sensitive food system ..................................................................... 37 Annex 3: Investment priorities to build a nutrition sensitive ADS ............................................................. 44 Annex 4: Investment Plan to build a nutrition sensitive ADS .................................................................... 48 Annex 5: Tracking system for nutrition sensitive ADS .............................................................................. 53

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ABSTRACT

Ending malnutrition in all forms is a global development priority. Investment in nutrition can yield high returns in terms of reduced health costs, increased productivity and improved human resources capacity and economic growth (Covic & and Hendriks 2016; Shekar et al. 2017). Nutrition policy-making and program interventions in developing countries fail to bring together several sectors that contribute to nutrition improvement. Since food systems influence the type of food produced, understanding relevant drivers of a country’s food system with an emphasis on nutrition can help to end malnutrition (Per Pinstrup-Andersen 2012a; HLPE 2017; Babu and Kataki 2003).

In this paper, we adopt a food systems perspective to review Myanmar’s current food system. With the help of a review of the literature and two national consultative stakeholder workshops, we examine Myanmar’s current food system. This is a crucial step since it identifies gaps existing in the current policies/ strategies being implemented. After the review, we developed an AIT (analyze gaps, identify priority investment areas, and track progress) operational framework that can be used to increase the nutrition-sensitivity of a food system. Applying this framework to Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS), this paper presents an analysis of the gaps that need to be addressed to make ADS nutrition-sensitive, provide priority investment areas, and a tracking system which monitors the progress of these investments.

Keywords: Food systems approach, malnutrition, hunger, agriculture, Myanmar, Asia.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author would like to thank Dr. Tin Htut, former permanent secretary, MOALI; U Kyaw Min Oo, director general of Department of Planning MOALI; U Kyaw Swe Lin, deputy director general of Department of Planning MOALI; Dr. Thanda Kyi, director of Department of Planning, MOALI; Ms. Xiaojie Fan, FAO representative in Myanmar; Dr. Sumiter Broca, senior policy and lead technical adviser to the food systems project from the FAO Regional Office for the Asia Pacific Region; Ms. Annalisa Noack, nutrition-sensitive investment consultant; Mr. Paul Dewitt, FIRST land policy advisor, MAOLI, Dr. Duncan Boughton, policy advisor MOALI, Ms. Daphne Khin Swe Aye, consultant; and Ms. Rema Balasundaram, consultant for their consultations and support during the preparation of this paper. IFPRI would like to thank Ms. Le Win and Ms. Moe for their valuable in-country support for organizing the consultative workshops. The author would also like to thank Namita Paul for providing research assistance and editing support for this paper.

This work was undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

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ABBREVIATIONS

ADS Agriculture Development strategy AED Agriculture Extension Division AIT Analyze gaps, identify priority investment areas, and track progress ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations DALMS Department of Agricultural Land Management and Statistics DOA Department of Agriculture DOIC Department of Industrial Crops Development FAO Food and Agriculture organization FDA Food and Drug Administration GAHP Good Animal Husbandry Practices GAP Good Agricultural Practices GDP Gross Domestic Product GFP Good Aquaculture Practices GOM Government of Myanmar HLPE High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institutions LIFT Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund LUD Land Use Division MAM Moderate acute malnutrition MIS Management Information System MNAPFNS Myanmar National Action Plan for Food and Nutrition Security MOALI The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation MOC Ministry of Commerce MOH Ministry of Health MSME Micro-Small and Medium enterprises MSNPAN Multisectoral National Plan of Action for Nutrition NARC National Agricultural Research Council NCDs Non-communicable diseases NES National Export Strategy NGO Non-Governmental Organization PPD Plant Protection Division SAM Severe acute malnutrition SD Seed Division SMEs Small and Medium enterprises UN United Nations USAID U.S. Agency for International Development WASH Water, sanitation and hygiene WTO World Trade Organization YAU Yezin Agriculture University

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I. Introduction

As expressed through the Sustainable Development Goals, ending malnutrition in all forms is a global development priority. Investment in nutrition can yield high returns in terms of reduced health costs, increased productivity and improved human resources capacity and economic growth (Covic & and Hendriks 2016, Shekar et al. 2017). Nutrition policy-making and program interventions in developing countries fail to bring together several sectors that contribute to nutrition improvement. Since food systems influence the type of food produced, understanding relevant drivers of a country’s food system with an emphasis on nutrition can help to end malnutrition (Per Pinstrup-Andersen 2012a, HLPE 2017, Babu and Kataki 2003). To reduce malnutrition, a food systems perspective should be applied since a food systems approach seeks to address problems related to food insecurity and malnutrition by understanding the production requirements for diverse food to increase their supply, affordability, and consumption (Townsend 2015, Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition 2016, Per Pinstrup-Andersen 2012b, Kataki and Babu 2002). Food systems are complex networks of individuals and institutions that provide food for everyone (Pinstrup-Andersen 2012a, FAO 2013). The food system of a country encompasses the different ways that food is produced, processed, distributed within the country and outside it, and consumed. The food system is governed by government policies and regulations, supported by various institutions and underpinned by public investments in infrastructure and private investments by food producers and distributors (FAO 2016). It is embedded within the larger economy of the country and reflects its agro-climatic conditions, its society, and its history. Even though food systems as categorized as traditional, modern, and mixed food systems, different categories can co-exist due to diversity in a country. The current global food systems are becoming increasingly vulnerable due to climate change and extreme weather events, rising middle class, urbanization, changing diet, agriculture-related risks, growing land, water constraints, persistent conflicts, and increased inequality (Fan S 2017, FAO 2016). A food system gathers all elements (environment, people, inputs, processes, infrastructure, institutions, etc.) and activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food, and the outputs of these activities, including socio-economic and environment outcomes (Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition 2016, HLPE 2017). It identifies three constituent elements of food systems, as entry and exit points for nutrition: food supply chains, food environments, and consumer behavior (Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition 2016, HLPE 2017). To build measures to reduce malnutrition from food systems perspective, understanding relevant drivers of food security with an emphasis on nutrition is integral to the planning process (ADB 2016, Kataki and Babu 2003). Improved food security often relies on augmenting the food supply through enhancing agricultural production and ensuring that the population has access to a healthy diet through interventions aimed at increasing the availability of nutrients, incomes, and information to affected populations. Policy and strategy formulation in ‘Nutrition and Agriculture’ has often been carried out with a greater focus on either one of these pathways, at times failing to recognize the importance of interlinkages. This is also reflective of the challenges that lie in linking these two sub-sectors that are derived from entirely different domains as described below. FAO (2014) predicted that in the coming three decades and more, agriculture will face an increase in pressures due to population growth and climate change. This will go hand in hand with a 30 percent increase in the global population, leading to an intensification of competition for a growing increase and scarcity of land, water and energy resources, made even more complex by the existential threat of climate change. In order to provide for a population that is projected to grow from 7.3 billion in 2014, and reach 9.3 billion in 2050, and support changing dietary patterns, estimates are that food production will need to increase from the current 8.4 billion tons to almost 13.5 billion tons a year. Achieving that level of production from an

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already seriously depleted natural resource base will be difficult without bringing profound changes to our food and agriculture systems (FAO 2014). There is a need to expand and accelerate the transition to sustainable food and agriculture to ensure world food security, provide economic and social opportunities, and protect the land and ecosystem services on which agriculture depend going forward (FAO 2014). Recent estimates indicate that agriculture produces an average of 23.7 million tons of food, including 19.5 million tons of cereals, roots, tubers, fruit and vegetables, 1.1 million tons of meat, and 2.1 billion liters of milk. Fisheries and aquaculture harvest daily more than 400, 000 tons of fish, while forests provide 9.5 million cubic meters of timber and fuelwood. In one day, crop production is estimated to consume 7.4 trillion liters of water for irrigation, and 300 000 tons of fertilizer. Agricultural production in terms of its total value for that one day is estimated to be USD 7 billion (FAO 2012, FAO 2013, World Bank 2008). In addition to meeting humanity’s basic needs for food, feed, fiber, and fuel, agriculture employs more than one in three of the world’s workers and provides livelihoods for rural households that comprise of 2.5 billion people (FAO 2013). Huylenbroeck et al. (2007) indicate that it also contributes to social cohesion in rural areas and preserves cultural traditions and heritage. Agriculture also makes important, but largely unrecognized, contributions to landscape and wildlife management, the protection of wildlife habitats, water management, and quality, flood control and climate change mitigation. In this paper, we adopt a food systems perspective to review Myanmar’s current food system. With the help of a review of the literature and two national consultative stakeholder workshops, we examine the current food system. This is a crucial step since it identifies gaps present in the current policies/ strategies being implemented. After the review, we develop an AIT (analyze gaps, identify priority investment areas, and track progress) operational framework that can be used to increase the nutrition-sensitivity of a food system. We then apply this framework to Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) developed by MOALI and analyze the gaps that need to be addressed to make ADS nutrition-sensitive, provide priority investment areas, and provide a tracking system which monitors the progress of these investments. This paper is divided into the following structure. Section 2 focuses on how food systems approach can be used to achieve nutritional outcomes. Section 3 provides information regarding Myanmar food system and current nutritional status of the country. Section 4 presents the review of ADS; in this section, we used the food system’s perspective to identify analytical needs, data requirements, and gaps that need to be addressed to achieve ADS outcomes. Section 5, we apply the AIT framework to ADS. Using the analysis from section 4, section 5 provides analyses of gaps in ADS, identify priority areas for investment and tracking system which can be used to measure if ADS is nutrition sensitive. Section 6 presents the concluding remarks. II. Food System Approach to Nutrition Outcomes

To end the issues of hunger, malnutrition, and undernutrition, a food systems approach needs to be applied in Myanmar. At present, the structure of Myanmar’s economy, agriculture, and food system are rapidly changing and there is a need to find ways to influence this change so that it is beneficial for Myanmar. A food system is not limited to the agriculture sector and involves activities related to production, processing, distribution, preparation, and consumption of food. Food systems approach is a comprehensive approach which goes beyond agriculture. Challenges faced by Myanmar include coordination and collaboration among different ministries and stakeholders to work together and think in think in terms of food systems. Structure of food demanded and supplied is changing and there is a need for food systems to also change. Japan is a good example of a country that has adopted both policy and institutional changes needed and made the required investments supporting them. Figure 1 below shows a conceptual framework of food systems for diet and nutrition (HLPE 2017). The black dots in the figure represent the areas addressed in ADS. This food system identifies five main categories of drivers of food system change: biophysical and environment, innovation technology and infrastructure, political and economic, socio-culture, and

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demographic drivers (Ingram 2011, HLPE 2017). With urbanization, globalization, and their impact on trade, food systems are increasing becoming interconnected resulting in longer and more complex food supply chains (HLPE 2017). Figure 1: Conceptual framework of food systems

Source: HLPE, 2017 For a food system to be nutrition-sensitive, nutrition objectives need to be explicitly incorporated into their overall goals, strategies, and implementation. Along with ensuring food security for all, these food systems aim to improve human nutrition using a variety of policy instruments and relevant causal pathways. Understanding these pathways and how they operate is crucial since in designing agricultural policies. A nutrition sensitive food systems approach: FAO states that the political commitment and efforts to make agriculture and food security policies and programs ‘nutrition-sensitive’ are growing and ministries of agriculture and rural development are increasing their attention and contribution to multi-sectoral nutrition strategies. Development partners are also moving to make nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems a central feature of their support to agricultural investments. However, translating this commitment into action is a big challenge due to lack of capacity for designing nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture policies and programs (FAO 2017). The FAO Committee on Agriculture at its 25th Session stated that, ‘Nutrition-sensitive agriculture is an approach that seeks to ensure the production of a variety of affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate and safe foods in adequate quantity and quality to meet the dietary requirements of populations in a sustainable manner. The recognition that addressing nutrition requires taking action at all stages of the food chain - from production, processing, retail to consumption – has led to a broader focus which encompasses the entire food system. Making agriculture and food systems

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nutrition-sensitive necessitates taking action to address input quality, production, post-harvest handling, processing, retailing and consumption, in order to deliver safe and nutritious foods all year round to the consumer. Nutrition-sensitive agriculture and food systems contribute to improving health outcomes, through measures that include the production of diverse, safe and nutrient-rich food, income generation that can facilitate access to health services, through reducing contamination of water sources, and through the application of labor-saving technologies’ (FAO 2017). FAO (2017) recognizes that while agriculture and food systems play a key role in nutrition, experience shows that policies and programs are more likely to have a positive impact on nutrition, and avoid negative impacts if the following principles are applied: 1. Incorporate explicit nutrition objectives and indicators into their design, and track and mitigate potential

harms. 2. Assess the context at the local level, to design appropriate activities to address the types and causes of

malnutrition. 3. Target the vulnerable and improve equity through participation, access to resources and decent

employment. 4. Collaborate with other sectors and programs. 5. Maintain or improve the natural resource base. 6. Empower women. 7. Facilitate production diversification and increase production of nutrient-dense crops and small-scale

livestock. 8. Improve processing, storage, and preservation to retain nutritional value and food safety, to reduce

seasonality and post-harvest losses, and to make healthy foods convenient to prepare. 9. Expand market access for vulnerable groups, particularly for marketing nutritious foods. 10. Incorporate nutrition promotion and education. It is these three components of food systems that impact consumers’ capacity to adopt sustainable diets that are: protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems; culturally acceptable, accessible; economically fair and affordable; and nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy, while optimizing natural and human resources. Another approach to reviewing food systems in Myanmar was to study the drivers of food systems from a food supply chain perspective as shown below. This took into account the biophysical and environmental drivers, the innovation, technology and infrastructure drivers, the political and economic drivers, the socio-cultural and the demographic drivers. Despite significant progress made to increase global food security and decrease poverty (poverty levels are under 10%), Myanmar continues to face a high level of hunger and malnutrition. Hunger, overnutrition, and undernutrition are similar issues and are related; however, they are distinctly different problems (World Bank 2016). Different pathways and interventions are required to solve these issues. The current food system is unable to meet the minimum energy requirements of 795 million people (FAO 2015). On one hand, more than two billion people are deficient in key vitamins and minerals that are necessary for growth, development and diseases prevention, while over 2 billion people suffer from overweight and obesity. Two-thirds of the people who are suffering from overweight and obesity live in developing countries (FAO 2015 M. Ng et al. 2014). As of 2015, 159 million children under the age of five were chronically malnourished or stunted (Shekar et al. 2017). Poverty, food insecurity, nutrition are interconnected and directly impact on another. Figure 1 below shows the interconnectedness of poverty, food insecurity, and nutrition. Therefore, ending malnutrition is crucial for economic and human development. Issues like childhood stunting and wasting have life-long consequences not just for health, but also for human capital and economic development, prosperity, and equality. Stunting at an early age can limit a persons’ ability to

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attend school, decrease earned adult wages, and their chances to escape poverty as adults (Fink et al. 2014). Figure 2 shows the interconnectedness of poverty, food security, and nutrition. Figure 2: Interconnectedness of poverty, food security, and nutrition.

Source: (Babu et al. 2017) Different approaches have been taken to understand and respond to malnutrition. Gillespie and Harris (2016) summarize a review of 11 nutrition history papers focusing on the historical evolution of approaches to understanding and responding to malnutrition since 1950 to present. A nutrition-sensitive food system is not limited to staple grain and focuses on the consumption of micronutrient-rich non-staples food. This can be done with the help of a variety of market and nonmarket interventions. Applying a nutrition-sensitive perspective requires considering policies related to macrolevel availability and access to nutritious food while focusing on household and individual-level determinants of improved nutrition. The food system is not limited to agricultural production, it involves intrahousehold equity, behavior change, food safety, and access to clean water and sanitation. Re-shaping the current food system to be more nutrition sensitive, a deliberate policy-oriented approach, which includes a combination of nutrition-specific interventions, infrastructure investments, and producer incentives that complement each other are required (Pingali and Sunder 2017). Promoting dietary diversity is an important part of this holistic approach. Balanced and diverse diet (in terms in calories, protein, and micronutrition consumption) result in better anthropometric outcomes among all age groups and better cognitive outcomes (Arimond and Ruel 2004, Busert et al. 2016, Rah et al. 2010, Clausen et al. 2005, Wengreen et al. 2009). Diversified diet improves longevity and reduces rates of chorionic degenerative diseases (Jacques and Tucker 2001). Hoddinott and Yohannes (2002) assessed whether dietary diversity can act as an alternative indicator of food security under a variety of circumstances. They showed empirical evidence from 10 countries that for every one percent increase in dietary diversity there was an associated one percent increase in per capita consumption, a 0.7 percent increase in total caloric availability, a 0.5 percent increase in household per capita daily caloric availability from staples, and 1.4 percent increase in household per capita daily caloric availability from non-staples. These associations were found in both rural and urban areas and across seasons. The international community (176-member countries of the World Health Assembly), endorsed the first-ever global nutrition targets in 2012 to improve nutrition by 2025; but these targets focus on six key areas (stunting, anemia, low birthweight, childhood overweight, breastfeeding, and wasting). In order to meet these targets, countries need to invest in both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions, the latter involving sectors such as agriculture (Hoddinott 2016).

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The relationship between agriculture and human nutrition is not as simple as supply and demand. Increase in food production will raise the availability of food, however, it does not ensure nutrition (World Bank 2008). Agricultural production falls in the center of food systems. The purpose of agriculture is not just to grow crops and livestock for food and raw material, but to grow healthy, well-nourished people (Fan et al. Fritschel. 2012). Since agricultural production directly impacts the nutritional status of the population, it is crucial to understand how Myanmar’s food system and the performance of agriculture system has impacted the nutritional status of the Myanmar’s population. III. Myanmar’s Food System and Nutritional Status

Myanmar is in a pre-transition phase of the agriculture sector with the primary attention shifting from primary production to value addition, food quality and safety, nutrition and improved dietary patterns. Additionally, the rhetoric to multi-stakeholder engagement is very much present, stated by the team, but the essential focus and action remain within specific sectors and sub-sectors in Myanmar given the fragmented approach. Myanmar has an ethnically diverse population (totaling to 51.7 million) occupying an area of 676,578 square kilometers. The country is divided into three major agroecological zones: Delta, Central Dry Zone (CDZ), and the Hilly zone. Agricultural production and activities vary among the population based on the region they reside in. For example, approximately 22 million farmers living in the Delta region (in the southern part of Myanmar) are primarily involved in rice production. The CDZ has the approximate population of 19 million and farmers residing in CDZ are involved in the production of rice, oilseeds, beans, pulses. The hilly zone has a population of approximately 6.5 million and is dominated by Shan state. Farmers living in the hilly zone cultivate a wide range of rain-fed tree crops, horticulture products, rice, maize, and pulses. Livestock production is found in all three zones; however, aquaculture primary occurs in the delta and coastal areas (MOALI 2018). Overall, agriculture sector contributes nearly 30% of GDP. While industries contribute to 25% of the GDP and the service sector contributes 45% to GDP. Similar to countries in other regions, a significant proportion of industry and trade is directly or indirectly related to agriculture and natural resources (ANR) sector. In terms of trade, the agriculture sector accounts for 25% of the total exports. Beans and pulses are the largest agriculture export, followed by rice, livestock, and fisheries (MOALI 2018). Rice production continues to dominate Myanmar’s agricultural production (45.7% of the harvested area). Other key crops include beans and pulses, oilseeds, and rubber. Due to the diverse agro-climatic zones, the country is also able to produce sugar, maize, a wide range of fruit and vegetables, palm oil, coffee, and tea (MOALI 2018). In terms of food consumption, rice and fish as two main products consumed by Myanmar’s population. In addition to being the key source of protein for Myanmar’s population, fish sector contributes to over $300 million per year to Myanmar’s export. Currently, fish production, employs approximate 2.6 million people per year (MOALI 2018). Since 2016, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (MOALI) has been developing an Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS). ADS is an integrated and shared strategic document based on consultations with government, the private sector, civil society, and development partners (DP). The ADS aims to operationalize the recently developed Agriculture Policy and guide Myanmar’s Agriculture sector over the next five years. ADS focuses on at the agriculture sector as a whole and along with focusing on agricultural production, it also concentrates on processing sector, trade, and other services such as storage, transportation and logistics, finance, marketing, research and extension and factors improving farmer’s financial sustainability (MOALI 2018).

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Myanmar’s Nutrition Status Despite strong economic growth in Myanmar, undernutrition still remains high, especially among women and Children. The current status of nutrition in Myanmar is reflected by the prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight, low birth weight, and micronutrient deficiencies. Malnutrition and food-borne diseases (due to low quality or quantity of food consumed) impose large current and future human, economic, fiscal, and social costs on countries. Child stunting is a key issue among these since it has lifelong consequences and results in reduced cognitive development and lifetime earning of individuals. Shaping food systems to deliver improved nutrition and health requires a combination of improving knowledge, sound policies, regulations, investments (MS-NPAN 2018, World Bank 2016). Stunting (or low height-for-age) is an anthropometric measure of linear growth that indicates chronic undernutrition in children due to long-term dietary insufficiency and recurrent infectious diseases. It can lead to low cognitive development, poor performance in school, and reduced productivity in adulthood. In Myanmar, stunting has declined to 29.2% from 40.8% in 2000. Factors such as poverty level of household and mother’s education impact stunting. In Myanmar, stunting is higher among children in poor households (38.0%) as compared to children from wealthy households (16.0%) and also higher in children whose mothers have little or no formal education (39.3%) when compared to children of mothers with secondary or higher education (16.9%). Stunting in rural areas (31.6%) is much higher when compared to urban areas (21.0%). Stunting rates vary between different states, for example, Chin state, Kayak State, and Rakhine State have the highest rates of stunting (41.0%, 39.7%, and 37.5% respectively) when compared to the other regions of the country (MS-NPAN 2018). Acute malnutrition, or wasting, is an indicator of recent or current undernutrition due to a short-term inadequacy of food or a high burden of morbidities, such as diarrhea or respiratory infection. According to the 2015-16 DHS, 7.0% of children under five years of age are classified as acute malnutrition. Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) among under-five children is only 1% and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is significantly higher. Even though younger children have a higher risk of wasting, there are no significant differences based on socioeconomic status. This means that acute malnutrition occurs widely in the country and is not related to the ability of the family to afford sufficient quality and quantity of food. Similar to stunting, there are regional differences in the prevalence of acute malnutrition. Rakhine State (13.9%), Yangon (12.6%), and Tanintharyi (10.3%) have the highest rates of acute malnutrition (MS-NPAN 2018). Along with children, there is also a high prevalence of underweight among women (measures by low BMI). Since maternal underweight is directly linked to low birth weight in newborns, malnutrition in women directly impacts the health and well-being of their children. According to the 2015-16 DHS, the prevalence of low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams) decrease from 15% in 2000 to 8.1%. Further, anemia is a major public health problem in Myanmar. Approximately 57.8% of children under five and more than 70% of children 6 to 23 months suffer from anemia. The majority of children suffering from anemia reside in Sagaing (70.5%), Yangon (66.3%), and Ayeyarwady (61.9%). Factors such as household income and maternal education do not have any impact on children suffering from anemia. Anemia contributes factor to maternal mortality, spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and low birth weight. In Myanmar 45.8% of nonpregnant women between the ages of 15 to 49 years are anemic and 56.9% of pregnant women are classified with anemia (DHS 2015-16). Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia. Other causes include deficiency of vitamins such as folic acid and vitamin B12, parasitic infections (for example malaria), and genetic hemoglobin disorders. Iodine deficiency is a leading cause of preventable brain damage and mental disability throughout. Recent data on salt iodization indicates that only about 68.8% of households are consuming salt that was adequately (NNC, 2013) and suggesting the need to improve the supply and availability of iodine in the diet. Only 16.0% of children between 6 to 23 months are fed the minimum acceptable diet (MAD). MAD includes both frequency of feeding to children and number of food groups children (MOALI 2018). To Improve food security and safety, there is a need to increase the consumption of balanced diet.

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Why food system approach to nutrition? The food system paradigm involves taking a holistic perspective on all food-related activities: Input supply, production, processing, storage, transportation, marketing, distribution, and consumption. Even non-food commodities and services relating to nutritional objectives should be considered. Operationalizing the food system approach to nutrition can overcome past deficiencies in nutrition policy making and programming. To reduce malnutrition, a food systems perspective should be applied since a food systems approach seeks to address problems related to food insecurity and malnutrition by understanding the production requirements for diverse food to increase their supply, affordability, and consumption (Townsend 2015; Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition 2016; Per Pinstrup-Andersen 2012b; Kataki and Babu, 2002). Food systems are complex networks of individuals and institutions that provide food for everyone (Pinstrup-Andersen 2012a, FAO 2013). The food system of a country encompasses the different ways that food is produced, processed, distributed within the country and outside it, and consumed. The food system is governed by government policies and regulations, supported by various institutions and underpinned by public investments in infrastructure and private investments by food producers and distributors (FAO 2016). IV. The Diagnostic Review of Agriculture Development Strategy for Nutrition Sensitive Food

System Interventions

This section presents the analysis of the current Agriculture Development Strategy to achieve the goals of a nutrition-sensitive of Myanmar’s food system. The review of Myanmar’s food system was carried in a two-step process. First, we conducted an extensive desk review to build a policy, legal, and institutional matrix of multistakeholder actors including ministries, agencies, private sector players and other actors who contribute to the food system. Understanding the country’s context, policy process, and identifying key players is important since it enables us to identify how to develop nutrition sensitive policies and strategies. Further, two stakeholder consultative workshops were organized to gain clarity regarding the policy, legal, and regulatory environment that govern Myanmar’s food systems and the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in the food and agricultural policy environment and discussed priority areas for investment in making. From the discussions during the two stakeholder meetings, we were able to identify policy making process in Myanmar. We reference seed policy as an example of the policy making process in Myanmar. The second step of the review included identifying the level nutrition sensitivity and gaps in the Agriculture Development Strategy. For the purpose of this paper, we use Agriculture Development Strategy as an example and identify analytical needs, data requirements, gaps that need to be addressed to make ADS nutrition sensitive. The results of this review are presented below: Results of review Country context At present, Myanmar with its fertile lands and low population density is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia that has significant potential to increase its production, yield, and profits from the agriculture sector. Its geographic location at the intersection of China and India, two of the world’s most dynamic economies, positions it well to be a regional trading hub and a key supplier of minerals, natural gas, and agricultural produce. Since its transition, Myanmar’s economy is growing at an average of 6.3 percent (World Bank 2017). The key driver of Myanmar’s economic growth has been the export of natural gas which decreased to seven percent in 2015 and 2016 due to heavy floods slowing down new investment flows and creating a more

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challenging external environment. The floods in July 2015 affected some of the poorest and most vulnerable population centers people in the country and caused inflationary pressures. Myanmar has a total population of 52 million and GDP per capita of $1,275 as of 2016 (World Bank 2017). The poverty rate at 37.5 percent is one of the highest in the region. Majority of the rural population in Myanmar is living in rural areas and relies on agriculture as the main source of their employment. This set of the population tends to be sensitive to economy-wide shocks. Myanmar’s current economic condition and structure are reflective of a low-income economy (World Bank 2014). Growth in Myanmar’s agriculture sector has averaged 2.5 percent between 2009 to 2017 (World Bank,2017), approximately half of its neighboring countries (China and Thailand) equally developed. Despite the decrease in employment in the agriculture sector, the sector contributes 25 percent of the country’s GDP and employees 25 percent of the total labor force (World Bank 2016). As a result of limited growth in the agriculture sector, Myanmar in unable to reduce poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. In 2012, agriculture accounted for 36.4 percent of GDP and employed more than half the workforce, compared to 37.3 percent for services and 26.3 percent for industry (World Bank 2014). The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation is the focal point ministry for the agriculture sector. According to the Demographic Health Survey of Myanmar 2015-2016 led by the Ministry of Health and Sports, of the Republic Union of Myanmar, 29.2 percent all children suffer from stunting 31.6 percent of which lives in rural areas whereas 20 percent lives in urban areas. Similarly, 19 percent of total population is underweight out which 20 percent lives in rural areas whereas 15 percent live in urban areas. Seven percent of the total population suffers from wasting. Further women between the ages of 15-49 and children under the age of 5 showed a high prevalence of anemia (MoHS and ICF 2017).Data analysis for food insecurity and links of the findings from the DHS to were absent in the Demographic and Health Survey report (MoHS and ICF 2017). However, earlier discussions on Food Security by the LIFT team and Agriculture Sector Working Group stated that the high level of stunting in Myanmar is due in part to the poor translation of policy and research into action on the ground. Another reason for the slow progress is poor capacity on the ground. The importance of increasing investment in the agriculture sector to meet the growing demands of food and ways to increase farmers income through opportunities in regional and domestic markets were key the sector working emphasized. Myanmar has a coastline of nearly 2,000 km, several large estuarine delta systems as well as permanent and seasonal freshwater bodies of a total of 82,000 km, Myanmar provides habitats for a considerable diversity of aquatic species (Wirth, 2017). Fisheries and aquaculture account for the main source of animal protein and micronutrients in domestic diets. The sector directly employs approximately 3 million people and provides livelihoods for up to 15 million. The recent return to international markets, the country’s rich aquatic resources offer several opportunities for a thriving economy for job creation and export earnings. However, due to unsustainable management of marine and inland fisheries, wild stocks have rapidly declined over the past decades. This significantly threatens both nutrition and income particularly in rural areas, where 65 percent of the population resides. Myanmar is among 24 ‘high-burden’ countries, ranked by the largest number of chronically malnourished children under the age of five. The Policy Process and Institutional Environment for Nutrition-Sensitive Food Systems in Myanmar To understand the policy process and institutional environment for developing a nutrition-sensitive food system in Myanmar, two national level consultative workshops were organized by IFPRI and FAO. The first national consultative workshop took place on December 15, 2017 at the Hilton hotel in Nay Pyi Taw. The workshop provided a clear understanding of the essential elements of a policy framework on nutrition-sensitive food systems in Myanmar and nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions in a broader context and in the context of Myanmar. FAO’s Regional Office for the Asia Pacific Region, FAO Myanmar,

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and IFPRI brought together 45 stakeholders from different ministries (MOALI, Ministry of Commerce, Department of Trade and Commerce, Ministry of Health and Sports, FDA, Departments of Fisheries, Livestock, Plant Protection), development partners such as UNICEF, WFP, IFC, and the World Bank. During the workshop participants were provided an overview of nutrition sensitive food systems (presented by Suresh Babu), followed by four panelist (U Aung Soe, Indira Ekanayake, U Myint Zin Htoo, and Daw Wai Yee Lin) who focused on the role of trade, agriculture, fisheries and food safety in a food system. To advance the understanding and the consensus gained during the first workshop, a second stakeholder workshop was organized in Yangon by IFPRI and FAO Myanmar on March 19, 2018. The objective of this workshop was to bring together a wide variety of stakeholders and finalize the elements of a policy framework to increase the nutrition sensitivity of Myanmar’s existing food system and obtain a better handle on the investment opportunities, the roles and responsibility of the major stakeholders, and provide specific recommendations. FAO and IFPRI brought together a total of 48 stakeholders from different ministries (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (MOALI), Ministry of Commerce (MoC), Department of Trade and Commerce, Ministry of Health and Sports, FDA, Departments of Fisheries, Livestock, Plant Protection), Development Partners including international organizations such as UNICEF, WFP, IFC, IFPRI, and the World Bank. During this workshop, Suresh Babu presented the essential elements of a Policy Framework in Myanmar, its importance and implications. This was followed by three presentations by panelist focusing on trade policy issues faced by Myanmar (presented by Aung Soe), productivity issues faced by the new government (presented by Thanda Kyi), and research development capacity (presented by Ohmar Khaing). The workshop provided an understanding of the policy, legal, and regulatory environment that governs the food systems in Myanmar and the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in the food and agricultural policy environment and discussed priority areas for investment in making Myanmar food system more nutrition sensitive among major stakeholders. The policy and institutional landscape in Myanmar has not been studied in depth and is quite nascent in terms of multi-sectoral and inter-sectoral discussions using food system perspectives. Several public policy institutions in Myanmar have a direct effect on the food systems environment. Of these, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI) has the most far reaching and wide-ranging impact on food systems given its 17 departments, and the Department of Agriculture with 15 Divisions. Other key players in the food system include the Ministries of Commerce, Health, Finance and Planning, Education, and the Ministry of Social Welfare and Resettlement. Analysis of the policies and strategies of the above sectors from a food system perspective including the role their stakeholders play in shaping them can help in understanding the policy process for their contribution to nutritional policy objectives. Several policy institutions and networks constitute and contribute to the Myanmar food system development and its effects on nutritional outcomes. A select set of institutions are reviewed here: MOALI plays a critical role in determining the policies and strategies of the agriculture sector. The Planning Department of the MOALI takes the lead in preparing policy and strategy papers for the ministry. It is also responsible for bringing in the evidence for the policy making process. Connecting to regional and international goals for food security and nutrition, the department plays a key role in translating them into the policy agenda. It is also responsible for coordinating the policy dialogues and debates within the agriculture sector, although the culture of open discussion of policy proposals remain at a nascent stage. Although the policy directives are undertaken at the central level in MOALI, their translation to the regional specific contexts and their implementation requires the support and capacity of the state and regional governments. In Myanmar, the policy and institutional landscape reflect the government adoption of the legislature as the first planning instrument. The laws that govern sector inputs and processes include the rules and regulations

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that are related to government, businesses and other stakeholders including the private sector role where appropriate. Policies as a planning instrument typically are guidelines that help the sector carry out specific procedures, which further leads to a unique plan with a set of objectives to be achieved. Myanmar has also formulated sector specific strategies which are designed as comprehensive plans of action designed to achieve a specific goal or organizational goals and objectives. Both nutrition and agriculture sectors in Myanmar are specifically governed by policies and strategies. Most other sub sector areas of food systems on the other hand, reflected the presence of laws rather than policies. The legal framework along the food supply chain and food systems are richer as part of inputs used in the production process and upstream of the food system chain as opposed to downstream. A good example is the presence of a seeds policy, and a land use policy, in the upstream and the complete absence of laws and policies in the downstream especially at food processing, handling and waste disposal issues which come at the end of the food supply and food systems chain. Additionally, preliminary findings indicate that the policies and laws that reflect food systems processes downstream like food handling, harvesting, and storage are only covered by the Food Safety Law. Several institutions in the government have a direct impact on food and nutrition security outcomes across Myanmar. Since MOALI houses multiple departments (Department of Planning, Department of Agriculture, Department of Land records, Settlement, Department of Agricultural Research, Mechanization etc.), it is directly able to impact nutrition status of the population. The Department of Rural Development is now under MOALI also plays a crucial role. The Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement are primarily responsible for coordinating relief to those areas affected by disasters, including those suffering from food insecurity due to drought, flood and civil conflict. Apart from MOALI, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and the Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank also have an impact on food and nutrition status of the population. Tun et al. (2015) found that with respect to post farm gate processing, the lack of sufficient processing facilities affects the quality of agricultural products and prevents Myanmar from capitalizing on its regional comparative advantage in agricultural goods and from moving into higher value markets (Byerlee et al. 2014). Large agribusinesses are slowly becoming an important player in the agricultural sector but small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) remain the most important actors in value chains, especially in post-harvest processing. These SMEs face numerous challenges, including access to post-harvest technologies, extension, regular electricity and storage facilities it was noted. In the context of SMEs despite the President’s initiative to establish and chair the Central Committee for Development of SMEs under the Ministry of Industry, which includes seven ministers along with business representatives. This committee is tasked with developing laws and regulations to support SMEs, linking banks to the private sector to provide financial services and credit, and improving human resources to support SMEs. Despite being hailed as a major initiative; policy development and progress has been slow (Abe and Dutta 2014). Discussions about food systems also raise issues such as the importance of food safety and quality. IFPRI led review on promoting agriculture growth in Myanmar, states that Myanmar has three laws that govern food safety and quality, and cover post-harvest policies such as labeling, packaging, and production and manufacturing standards. These laws are meant to protect consumers from consuming harmful products. interpreting and understanding the rules and regulations, which are generally adopted following the enactment of the law, has been difficult especially given the absence of access to these documents. A review of the different instruments also reflects the multiplicity of roles and responsibilities in various ministries and the failure to harmonize among themselves leading to fragmentation and confusion. Any discussion of food systems must also recognize the role of ministries of transport, commerce, and industry. It is important

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to note that Myanmar does not have a policy on food or food security but is working towards a Ministry of Health and Sports and World Bank Led Nutrition Strategy in 2018. Below is a snapshot of the planning instruments used for the food safety and quality sub sectors. The 1992 National Drug Law established the Myanmar Food and Drug Board under the Ministry of Health (now Ministry of Health and Sports) with the specific role to: • Ensure genuine quality, safe and effective drugs; • Register drugs; • Protect consumers from poor quality food; and • Control and regulate the manufacture, import, export, storage, distribution and sale of food and drugs.

The 1997 Food Safety Law Establishes the Myanmar Food and Drug Board under the Ministry of Health and Sports, as the primary authority to:

• Develop policy relating to the production, storage, distribution and sale of food; • Determine food production practices to ensure quality; • Develop policy related to labeling; • Make rulings on appropriate additives; • Certify laboratories; and • Oversee food inspectors and determines their duties and procedures.

This paper primarily examines the evolution of input policies and their measures of implementation, i.e. those focused on farm inputs (land management; finance; water management; research, education and extension services; rural electrification; seeds; fertilizer and mechanization). We also provide a brief overview of policies which affect farm diversification (including rice productivity and crop diversification) and output policies including policies related to post-farmgate processing; logistics and transport; wholesale markets; and broad macro-economic and trade policy. Another instrument is the 2014 Consumer Protection Law which prohibits: • The production, distribution, storage, transport, sale, processing, import or export of commodities of

sub-standard quality or that misleads consumers, and • The production of misleading advertisements or claims about the product without scientific proof.

The Consumer Protection Law also sets basic labeling requirements. Understanding the complex and oftentimes overlapping responsibilities between ministries and administrative bodies remains a challenge both at policy and implementation levels. The Consumer Protection Law recommended the establishment of a Consumer Protection Central Committee chaired by the Minister of Commerce to: 1. Resolve disputes, 2. Investigate claims, and 3. Hand down punishments and revoke licenses.

As mentioned earlier, the Food and Drug Administration, resides in the Ministry of Health and Sports, is tasked with the role to ensure the safety and quality of food and drugs, setting food standards, developing policies regarding labeling and certifying testing laboratories. At the same time, the (2014) Consumer Protection Central Committee, which resides under the Ministry of Commerce, is also tasked with monitoring food and drug qualities and setting labeling standards. The Ministry of Industry in addition to the two mentioned above also holds some responsibility for setting standards for food manufacturing in processing facilities while the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation is responsible for monitoring chemical residues in agricultural food products and the inspection and quarantine functions of import and export materials. While understanding the myriad of laws and regulations presents its own set

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of challenges, there seems to exist a basic system of food and drug regulation. However, reviews indicate that the primary concern was the extent to which it is implemented effectively and enforced. In terms of the legal and regulatory environment, Myanmar has legal frameworks that are in place, and was adopted in nineties. Few laws like the Food Safety Law, the Seeds Law, and the Investment Law are more recent and being amended in some cases. In some instances, Laws and Policies complement one another, the Seeds Law for example is strengthened by a Seeds Policy and vice versa. While the Seeds Law was developed with no stakeholder consultation the Seeds Policy was built with multi sectoral and inter sectoral coordination and multi stakeholder consultation and engagement. Food and Agriculture Policy Chronology The key players include Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (MOALI), Ministry of Commerce (MOC), Ministry of Industry, MONREC, FDA, Ministry of Health, Ministry of education, Ministry of Border Affairs, Ministry of transportation. In 2015/2016, Department of Agriculture (DOA) and Department of Industrial Crops Development (DOIC) were merged during the restructuring of Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (MOALI). Former responsibilities of DOIC were integrated with the Department of Agriculture, and additional divisions specializing in crops were added. The Department of Agriculture now overseeing 15 divisions as shown below: 1. Policy and Administration Division 2. Finance Division 3. Supply & Logistics Division 4. Project Planning, Management and Evaluation Division 5. Seed Division (SD) 6. Land Use Division (LUD) 7. Plant Protection Division (PPD) 8. Horticulture & Plant Biotechnology Division 9. In-service Training Centre and State Agricultural Institute Division 10. Agriculture Extension Division (AED) 11. Rice Division 12. Perennial Crops Division 13. Cotton & Allied Fiber Crops Division 14. Sugar Crops Division 15. Coffee and Seasonal Crops Division

The table below provides an overview of key players and sectors involved. Further, it provides policies strategies and laws established for certain areas of food systems. For further details regarding policies, strategies, and laws implemented by these key players, see annex 1. Table 1: Key players in Myanmar's agriculture system Food Systems Ministries Policies, Strategies, Laws Seeds MOALI Seeds Policy, Seeds Law Agriculture

MOALI Agriculture Development Strategy Agriculture Policy

Water MOALI Water Policy Crops, Rice, Pulses, Oil, Fruits, Vegetables,

MOALI Crops Policy, Oilseeds Policy, Rice Policy, Seeds Policy

Irrigation MOALI Irrigation Policy Land MOALI DALMS Land Use Policy, Vacant and Fallow Land

Law

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Food Systems Ministries Policies, Strategies, Laws Mechanization MOALI Mechanization Policy Fisheries MOALI Fisheries Policy Livestock MOALI Livestock Policy being drafted Forestry MONREC Forestry Policy Food Harvesting Food Safety Law Handling, MOALI Storage MOALI Processing MOALI Food trade and Marketing

Commerce, Industry Finance

Trade Law, Trade Policy,

Food Consumption MOH ADS, Nutrition Policy Dietary diversity ADS, Nutrition Policy Food Standards FDA Food Safety Law Food Safety FDA ADS, Nutrition Policy SPS FDA, MOALI Food Safety Law Biosafety of foods MOALI, FDA, MOH, Pesticide Law, the Plant Pest Quarantine Law,

and the Animal Health and Development Law Food Disposal MOALI Food Safety Law with respect to

contaminated food Other areas: Climate Smart Agriculture

Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy

Source: Author’s compilation. Myanmar’s policy landscape starts with a formulation of law, which is followed by a policy, a strategy or an action plan. Given the number of multisectoral roles that the government plays in the context of food security and nutrition, the linkages between laws, policies, and strategies are reflected in the discussions and debates of the development landscape. However, steps need to be taken to translate policies into action. For example, the Myanmar National Seeds Law was enacted by Parliament in 2011. The National Seeds Policy was formulated in 2013 (not yet adopted by Parliament). The Seed Law includes the rules and regulations of the seed sector related to government, seed laboratories and seed businesses. The National Seed Policy includes strategies for those involved in the seed sector, thereby, recognizing both the formal and informal seed sector actors. The Seed Law was formulated by the MOALI. However, it did not include any participation from the private sector or local individual farmers. The Seed Law was enacted in January 2011 and has four major objectives (Government of Myanmar, 2011): • To assist the development of the agricultural sector of the state by cultivating and producing crops using

pure seed; • To enable commercial seed business and to carry out such business systematically; • To encourage enabling participation in seed production and carrying out seed research of the

government department, organizations and individuals; and • To enable the government departments, organizations, international organizations, domestic

organizations and individuals to co-operate in the development of the seed business.

On the other hand, the National Seed Policy, includes strategies for those involved in the seed sector, thereby, recognizing both the formal and informal seed sector players. The National Seed Policy was formulated and published in 2013 after the Seed Law came into effect. The National Seed Policy was written

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with the assistance of FAO and has been developed through a participatory process, including major public and private sector stakeholders of Myanmar’s seed industry. The overall objective of the national seeds policy is to establish a sustainable seed industry through systematic and strategic approaches resulting in a continuous development and supply new improved varieties of seeds. Further, it aims to support successful seed production, certification and marketing systems to form the basis for an overall development of the agriculture sector. Its specific objectives include assuring all farmers continues access to seeds of high yielding crop varieties, promoting quality seeds among farmers, enhancing productivity in agriculture, strengthening food security in Myanmar, and improving both quantitative and qualitative aspects of rice exports. Since the seed policy and law have a direct impact on the food and nutrition, steps need to be taken to make seed sector nutrition-sensitive and creating an inclusive, competitive, food and nutrition secured and sustainable agricultural system and contribute to the socio-economic well-being of farmers and rural people and further development of the national economy. The enabling environments for nutrition, health, agriculture, and trade, demands linkages that are critical to their efficiency in functioning in a coherent policy framework. Nutrition is governed by rights conventions, and UN declarations that are adopted by governments, or programs backed by clear evidence, and promotion of formal policy reform. Policy issues related to nutrition in Myanmar mostly come under the Ministry of Health. Nutrition research is part of the medical science to be implemented based on carefully controlled experiments. Strong consensus on cost and impact of nutrition interventions on human health are limited. As a result, the linkage between the agriculture sector and nutrition goals remain weak. Institutional Architecture The international policy architecture for consensus in agriculture and nutrition differ significantly. Agriculture policies remain more contentious and less amenable to international consensus. This results in an asymmetry between high level international consensus, coordination and support for nutrition policies and the more diffused country specific policy debates that characterize policy making in agriculture. Issues related to food trade, exports, and imports and food safety are handled by the Ministry of Commerce. Handling food in the local markets and for export purposes has become a serious policy and programmatic issue for the Myanmar food system. In addition, the issues related to dependency on external markets for selling specific agriculture commodities and their alternative as a local food has been increasingly debated and requires the joint efforts of several Ministries and city functionaries including: the Ministry of Health and Sports, Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation, Ministry of Planning and Finance, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Border Affairs, Ministry of Rail Transport, City Development Committees and the Ministry of Commerce, to name a few. Several private sector entities have emerged as key players in the food system in the last decade. They provide support through both forward and backward linkages. Input suppliers such as seed companies and the agricultural chemical suppliers have become key players in the food system. The ago-processing sector is growing although there are several policy and regulatory constraints that need attention for their effective functioning and contribution to nutritional objectives. In the NGO sector, the Food Security Working Group and the Land Core Group supported by donors are active in the food system debate. However, there are multitudes of NGOs operating at the regional and state levels strengthening them provide enormous opportunities for making the food system more nutritionally sensitive. Using the information from the desk review and discussions during the national consultative stakeholder workshops, we were able to explain the current situation of Myanmar, Policy Process and Institutional Environment for Nutrition-Sensitive Food Systems in Myanmar, Food and Agricultural Policy Chronology, Institutional Architecture.

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Diagnoses of Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS) Discussions during the consultations in December 2017 and in March 2018 in Myanmar on nutrition sensitive food systems indicated that the policy environment must work to combine sound policies, regulations, and knowledge with targeted investments to help shape a global food system that delivers a nutritious, safe and affordable diet for all in a sustainable way. Both ADS and MS-NPAN were discussed during the consultations. However, since it has been already drafted and will be used to guide Myanmar’s agriculture sector over the next five years, we detect its level of nutrition sensitivity. The ADS is built to accelerate growth through the strategic pillars of governance, productivity, and competitiveness. The ADS are developed to achieve an ‘inclusive, competitive, food and nutrition secured and sustainable agricultural system contributing to the socio-economic well-being of farmers and rural people and further development of the national economy’. It aims at developing the governance, physical and institutional infrastructure, and human resource capacities needed to generate a more productive, sustainable, inclusive and competitive agriculture and food sector able to provide food and nutrition security of Myanmar people. The strategy is expected to result in an increase in rural incomes and savings, generate jobs, stimulate investments in farms, rural SMEs and people, that will help spur growth and shift millions out of poverty (ADS 2018). This diagnostic review of ADS discusses the current plans to achieve specific outcomes, reviews analytical and data needs to effectively implement ADS, and identifies gaps that need to be addressed to achieve a nutrition sensitive food system. Identifying gaps in ADS in the context of nutrition sensitive food system and taking steps to address these gaps can increase the effectiveness of ADS and identify key target areas for investment that can enhance the nutritional outcomes. Myanmar’s Agriculture Development Strategy is an example of actions taken by Myanmar to improve agriculture sector’s growth. The objectives of ADS include reducing all forms of malnutrition in mothers, children, and adolescent girls, strengthen multi-sectoral coordination, improve understanding of nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific approaches and techniques, improve the effectiveness of social interventions targeted towards mothers, children, adolescent’s girls. Governance, productivity, and competitiveness are three main pillars of ADS. Each pillar has its objective and eight outcomes (MOALI 2018). Table 2: ADS pillars, objectives and outcomes

Pillar 1: Governance Pillar 2: Productivity Pillar 3: Competitiveness

OBJECTIVES Governance and capacity of institutions responsible for agricultural development enhanced.

Productivity and farmers’ Income increased.

Market linkages and competitiveness improved.

OUTCOMES Planning. Effective integrated planning based on participatory processes both at the union and at the state/region level.

Agricultural research - Improved research system for crop, livestock, and fisheries and improved research-extension coordination systems with participation of farmers and private sectors.

Business Environment - Improved business environment, information and investment along the agri-food supply chain.

Policy Capacity. Improved capacity for policy formulation and analysis.

Agricultural extension – Transformed public-private agricultural extension system delivering improved products

Intellectual Property Rights. Protected intellectual property rights for the agricultural and food sector.

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Pillar 1: Governance Pillar 2: Productivity Pillar 3: Competitiveness

(crop, livestock, fisheries) and technology for adoption and adaptation, better linked to agriculture research.

M&E. Timely and Effective Monitoring and Evaluation processes that inform a web-based Management Information System (MIS).

Education and Training - Develop (or revive) effective education and training to build “human capital” in the agricultural and food sector responding to the evolving needs of farmers and the private sector in rural areas.

Quality. Reliable quality system developed that helps farmers and food processors get higher prices for higher quality goods, incentivizing quality upgrading developed.

Statistics. Sound statistical systems for evidence-based decisions.

Irrigation and water management - More responsive and reliable irrigation and drainage services and more efficient and sustainable water management systems.

Rural Development Planning - Enhanced framework for gender-equitable and participatory planning and implementation of rural development programs institutionalized.

Associations. Strong farmer and industry associations and federations. Triangular action of government, farmers and entrepreneurs, millers for agribusiness development.

Crop inputs - Increased use of improved farm production inputs and technologies by crop growers.

Rural Infrastructure. Rural infrastructure improves smallholder agriculture efficiency and profitability.

Land. Strengthened farmers’ land rights and enhanced capacity of institutions involved in agricultural land.

Mechanization - Increased application of appropriate mechanization in the agricultural value chain.

Value Chains. Increased competitiveness and stakeholder participation in agricultural value chains engaged with prioritized commodities.

Coordination. MOALI capacity for ADS coordination and implementation enhanced and guided by democratically appointed, gender equitable civil society representation.

Livestock and fish - Increased use of improved livestock and fish breeding, health and husbandry service and technologies by livestock and fish producers.

Food Safety. Enhanced food quality and safety.

Food and nutrition security. Improved food and nutrition security of most.

Sustainable Practices - Sustainable Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP), Good Aquaculture Practices (GFP), and Organic.

Financial Services. Improved access to a range of financial services for farmers and agribusiness enterprises.

Source: (MOALI 2018) The policy gap analysis reveals the adoption of policies in some instances outside of the focal ministry. However, at times, the ministries with the mandate to formulate policies and strategies such as MOALI and MOHS were overtaken by the actions related to the role of markets, foreign direct investment and exports of commodities that are mandates of different ministries like the Ministry of Commerce. They worked to formulate sub sector strategies relevant to agriculture and commodities well ahead of MOALI and MOHS.

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For example, the Ministry of Commerce adopted 10 sector strategies including those of Beans and Pulses, and Fisheries, as part of its National Export Strategy (NES) in collaboration with WTO and funding from GIZ. In conceptualizing the policy analytical framework clearly reflected the multisectoral nature of food systems, and the fact that no single ministry is at times responsible for several aspects of the food systems and food supply chains. Whether it be water, land, seeds, fertilizer, nutrition, food processing, harvesting, storage, or food safety, which constitute the key elements of a food system, several ministries have mandates and specific responsibilities for designing and implementation of interventions. It is this background that pushes forward the need for an integrated policy framework with a food systems perspective that is mainstreamed with clear oversight of nutritional outcomes in Myanmar. There was some attention given to the drivers of policy, the enabling environment and the role of those who formulate the policy versus those who implement and at times may present barriers to implementation at different levels (Ekamayake 2017). Key points from ADS analysis To achieve each of the ADS’s outcomes, this paper identifies analytical and data needs and gaps for each of the outcomes from food systems perspective. This section highlights analytical and data needs for all three pillars and their outcomes. Further, it also mentions gaps present in the current outcomes. Annex 2 presents analytical needs, data requirements and gaps in each of the outcomes (for all pillars) of ADS. Governance The main objective of Governance (pillar 1 of ADS) is to enhance governance and capacity of institutions responsible for agricultural development. This will result in improved food and nutrition security of the population since improved capacity of institutions will result in increased coordination among different institutions and multi sector initiatives on nutrition and poverty alleviation (food for work programs, food or input vouchers, income support). Also, it will improve agriculture growth resulting in increased production and farmer incomes. To achieve this objective, there is a need to understand the current outcomes of existing programs and policies focusing on food and nutrition security, increase understanding of agriculture-nutrition linkages among policy makers/analyst, implement regular monitoring and evaluation of programs focusing on food and nutrition security, collect data on nutrition status of households in the census rather than just focusing on production data, identify target groups (most disadvantaged groups) such as women headed households, landless households, ethnic people in remote areas. Productivity The main objective of Productivity (pillar 2 of ADS) is to increase agricultural Productivity and farmers’ Income. This objective will have a direct impact on food and nutrition security of the population. Increase in productivity could be due to improvement in agriculture research, extension, education and training, using better quality of inputs (seed, fertilizer, irrigation) or due to mechanization. To achieve this objective, MOALI will be establishing National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) to coordinate and provide overall guidance to research on crops, livestock. However, agriculture research should not be limited to rice or cash crops and should focus on nutrient rich crops in addition to staple crops. Further, including nutrition in research priorities can help achieve this outcome. To transform the current public extension system there is a need to include the impact of agriculture on nutrition in the extension policy and strategy and analyze the impact (or lack thereof) of current extension programs on nutritional status of households receiving extension services. Currently, there is limited coordination between the needs of extension staff and researchers. To strengthen human capacity in the agriculture sector nutrition content should be included in higher agriculture education courses. There is need to improve understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages among future researchers and extension staff. Instead of focusing on

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increasing calories consumed per day by the people, emphasis should be to consume diverse diet so that micronutrient and protein needs can be met. Competitiveness The main objective of competitiveness (pillar 3 of ADS) is to improve market linkages and competitiveness. Improving business environment, information, and investment along the agri-food supply chain and developing a reliable quality system that help farmers and food processors get high price for high quality goods will produce better quality product and increase farmer income resulting in improved food and nutrition security for both consumer and producers. Also, investment to improve rural infrastructure will help increase agriculture efficiency and profitability. To increase competitiveness of farmers and improve overall business environment, training related to local food processing, food preservation and utilization should be provided to farmers and MSME. Further, to improve access to finance for both farmers and agribusinesses enterprises and increase exports of agricultural products, there is a need to recognize the link between microfinance and nutrition outcomes and increase communication and coordination between Department of Agriculture, MOALI and Ministry of Commerce. Emerging issues MOALI began developing Agriculture Development Strategy since 2015 and has updated the document several times since then. However, at present ADS is unable to address the emerging issues in Myanmar’s agriculture sector. To address these issues a food system approach should be applied. For example, India’s ban on pulses led to a decrease in export of pulses by Myanmar which directly impacted the farmers producing pulses. To combat this situation, the surplus pulses produced should be promoted for local consumption due to their high protein and fiber content and low-fat content. To promote pulses for local consumption, it is important to focus on behavior change and consumer education regarding the importance of a balanced diet. Similarly, ADS does not address the issues related to Land Use Policy. Currently, a certain area of land is reserved for rice cultivation and cannot be used to produce other crops. However, it is crucial to consume a diverse diet. As a pilot, regional and state laws could be changed to assess the impact of decreasing the land allocation to cultivate rice. Results of this assessment will determine how much land should be reserved for rice cultivation so that farmer income is not affected but dietary diversity increases. Farm diversification can also result in increased farmer incomes.

V. Operational Framework for Nutrition Sensitive Food System

This section presents the AIT operational framework that can be used to build a nutrition sensitive food system. This framework is broken down into the following three steps: 1. We analyze gaps in the current policy being implemented. 2. We identify priority investment area. This is done with the help of the strategy diagnoses (from section

3). 3. We track the progress to ensure that the strategy being implemented is nutrition-sensitive. Figure 3 presents the AIT operational framework. Repeating this framework across different sectors/policies can help increase the nutrition sensitivity of a food system. For example, figure 4 presents food system approach to nutrition. Starting from the outer circle, we can use AIT framework to improve nutrition sensitivity of the entire food system. In this paper, we use this framework to assess the nutrition sensitivity of ADS, identify priority investment areas for building a nutrition sensitive food system, and tracking the progress we invest.

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Figure 3: AIT operational framework

Source: Author’s compilation

Analyze gaps

Indentify priority investment areaTrack progress

21

Figure 4: Food systems approach to nutrition

Source: Author’s compilation

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Gap Analysis Based on ADS review in section 3 (see annex 2 for more information), mentioned below are the gaps that need to be addressed to make ADS nutrition-sensitive. Despite overall decrease in global poverty, Myanmar continues to suffer from high level of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. Based on the review of nutrition sensitivity of Agriculture Development Strategy developed by MOALI, we highlight the steps that need to be adopted to promote a nutrition sensitive food system in Myanmar.

1. Nutrition specific policy and strategy goals need to be incorporated in all the policy and strategy processes that are currently being implemented. However, developing nutrition sensitive strategies using the current policies will involve further consultation and sensitization among the stakeholders. This is primarily because nutritional challenges are perceived as the domain of the Ministry of Health. Although the theoretical rhetoric is to engage in multi-sector linkages and engagement; the actual practice is to function within each confide sector and remain fragmented.

2. Furthermore, sub-sector policies have opportunities for becoming nutrition sensitive when their role, in terms of the in-crop choices made by the other farmers, is considered. For example, making seed policy applicable to high value crops as well as crops that have high nutritional value such as vegetables and fruits, could have profound nutritional implications. This increases crop diversification when quality seeds of vegetables and fruits are made accessible to smallholder farmers.

3. In Myanmar, government and the public play sector in terms of policy formulation, which include the generation of comprehensive policy measures throughout the food systems supply chain. These roles range from the need to coordinate the disparate parts, as well as the roles, responsibilities, rules and regulations to help govern the food system; both upstream and downstream of the supply chain. These measures must also recognize the growing role of the private sector and linkages between food systems and job creation.

4. Research on nutrition needs to be extended to include social safety nets in socio-economic context since research on nutrition issues mainly revolve around clinical trials. Also, in research, extension and education in agriculture needs to be conceptualized with more nutrition sensitive elements and functionality. The capacity for conducting nutrition research from the food system perspective is limited. The role of extension services in imparting knowledge on nutrition sensitive farming systems has high potential in Myanmar. However, there is a need for revising the curriculum of agricultural education in the context of nutrition driven agricultural development.

5. Issues related to agricultural production diversity, resulting nutritional intake and the health of the population needs to be incorporated as part of the agriculture strategy. This would make ADS more nutrition sensitive in the context of Myanmar farming systems. Linking agriculture, nutrition, and health in the context of food systems is a critical element of this function.

6. Food security interventions often do not consider their nutritional implications. Focused mainly on reducing hunger, they tend to overlook the need for addressing the challenges of hidden hunger. High levels of micronutrient deficiencies in Myanmar call for nutrition sensitive food security interventions at different levels.

7. Since food safety issues are closely interlinked with nutrition and long-term health, regulatory policies that govern the use of crop production and protection chemicals such as fertilizers can be effective in guiding their optimal use.

8. Given that the intake of processed food is likely to increase due to urbanization, the nutritional qualities of processed foods’ processing have nutritional implications. The role of industrial fortification and the biofortification of major staple foods, needs analysis of the food supply chains and of the opportunities for enhancing the nutritional content of commonly eaten foods. The policy and regulatory framework for such opportunities continue to be limited in Myanmar. Since over-nutrition and obesity are

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becoming major health challenges in several parts of Asia, education and training should focus on topics such as a balanced diet and the importance of dietary diversity. This requires close collaboration between agriculture and health sectors with a particular emphasis on preventing the growing prevalence of humans being overweight and obese. The nutrition implications of food value chains also need further analysis.

9. The provision of information on clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) education towards proper hygiene is currently part of interventions from the health sector. However, they must be combined with food security interventions to achieve expected nutritional outcomes. This requires interdepartmental committees to track the quality of information and allocations made for WASH interventions.

10. It is important to recognize the need for combined actions among multiple sectors including: health, food safety, water and sanitation, education, early child development, gender integration, family planning, trade, and climate change to achieve long-lasting improvements in nutrition. Improving human nutrition not only requires consistent access to an appropriate diet, safe water, and a sanitary environment, but also adequate healthcare services to ensure a healthy and active life. It requires knowledge, resources, and skills for healthy living, prevention, treatment, care for diseases affecting nutritional status, and safety net systems during emergencies and crisis. Furthermore, it requires an agricultural system that can deliver adequate and safe food supply on a sustainable basis. Limiting the burden posed by over-nutrition requires both treatment and prevention of the various non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that are driven by overweight or obesity. Ensuring good nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life is the foundation for reducing risks of under-nutrition and over-nutrition and nutrition-related chronic diseases later in life.

Investment priorities for nutrition sensitive food systems This section identifies investment priorities for each outcome in ADS to increase nutrition sensitivity of ADS. Mentioned below is the summary of investment priorities for each pillar under ADS and detailed investment priorities and plan is presented in annex 3 and 4 respectively. Governance To improve governance and capacity of institutions responsible for agriculture development, strengthening capacity for advocacy, planning, and analysis across relevant ministries is crucial. In Myanmar, government and the public sector play an important in policy formulation including development of a comprehensive policy or strategy (such as the ADS). For building a nutrition sensitive food system, it is important to develop a multi-sectoral approach and recognize the need for combined actions among multiple sectors such as agriculture, health, food safety, water and sanitation, education, early child development, gender integration, family planning, trade, and climate change to achieve long term nutrition outcomes. Moreover, strengthening capacity of local authorities, service providers, research institutions, and partners is crucial, especially investment on research focusing on nutritional needs should be extended to social safety nets in socio-economic content since currently research on nutrition mainly revolves around clinical trials. Food security mostly focus on reducing hunger and overlook the issue of hidden hunger. Since Myanmar’s population suffers from high levels micronutrient deficiencies, it is important to address the challenges of hidden hunger through nutrition sensitive interventions. There is also a need to establish a monitoring framework to track and measure progress and contributions towards goals, targets and indicators. This could be done though conducting timely, national household surveys with state/region representation, strengthening institutional and functional capacity of agricultural land management and administration institutions, and establishing national strategy and guidelines to control micronutrient deficiencies (including supplementation, fortification and dietary diversification and vulnerable).

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Productivity To increase agriculture productivity and farmer income, it is important to invest in agriculture research system especially focusing on nutrient dense crops. Investing in improving agriculture extension and advisory system should not be limited to strengthening capacity of extension workers and access to extension services and should include information related to crop diversification, nutrition intake, and importance of a balanced diet. This will increase the understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages among farmers and increase crop-diversification, livestock and fisheries production, and nutrition. Myanmar’s extension system is weak since the agriculture courses at the university level do not include nutrition-curriculum. Nutrition content should be included in agriculture courses and vice-versa since agriculture has a direct impact on nutrition. Establishing food and nutrition department at Yezin Agriculture University (YAU) could be a first step towards developing effective education and training to strengthen human capital. For increasing the efficiency of irrigation and water use system, there is a need to invest in improved water management techniques such as water harvesting and storage with improved irrigation investment for crop diversification. Apart from investing in research and extension system, increasing farmer training focused on production inputs such as fertilizer and pesticide use could increase both quantity and quality of crops produced. Lastly, investing in climate-smart agriculture practices, conservation-oriented crop, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture, and forest utilization practices can result in increased productivity and availability of nutrition rich crops. Competitiveness To improve market linkages and competitiveness and build a nutrition sensitive food system, there is a need to increase nutrition sensitivity of agri-food supply chains, invest in intellectual property rights system and increase investment in quality control along the food processing chains. Investing to promote food fortification of crops to improve nutrient content in crops can lead to nutrition sensitive food system. Further, investing in rural development, especially in rural infrastructure (such as farm roads) can improve access to markets for small holder farmers increasing both efficiency and productivity of farmers. Increasing access to information available to farmers about market prices, climate predictions can result in improve competitiveness. Tracking system for nutrition sensitive food system After analyzing gaps and investing in priority areas which impact nutrition, tracking progress is essential. Based on the priority investment mentioned above, below is the summary of indicators which will track the progress once we have invested in the priority areas. The complete table of indicators is presented in annex 5. Governance To build nutrition-sensitive food system, improved government policy and strategy focusing on food and nutrition security will lead to effective integrated planning both at the state and region level. Further, applying a multi-sector approach to policy advocacy, planning, and analysis to support nutrition across relevant ministries/sector (agriculture, health, food safety, water and sanitation, education, early child development, gender integration, family planning, trade, and climate change) will result in a nutrition sensitive food system. It is crucial to develop a monitoring and evaluation system. ADS’s outcomes includes developing timely and effective monitoring and evaluation process and a sound statistical system for evidence-based decisions, However, it is important to note that the data collected through these systems is beyond agricultural production and includes nutrition status of households. Adding information regarding nutrition indicators (for example, weight, BMI, stunting, type of food consumed, food groups consumed etc.) would help in evaluating the effectiveness of the interventions and identify gaps (or regions) where investment is required. Data collection of nutrition status can also identify target groups that suffering from malnutrition and specific interventions can be introduced for these groups. The availability, quality, and

25

analysis of nutrition and related indicators in relevant sector monitoring systems (e.g. Agriculture and rural statistics, Livestock, etc., land use patterns) should be strengthened. Since crop-diversification and improve availability and access to diverse crops strengthening farmer’s land rights is important to change land use patterns and allow farmers to diversify farms and grow nutrient-rich crops. Productivity Increasing investment in agriculture research system can directly increase agriculture productivity. However, research should focus on nutrient dense crops in order to improve the nutrition status of the households and build a nutrition-sensitive food system. Further, increase investment in research on nutritionally enhanced crops and new food recipes to increase dietary diversity can be useful. For example, currently Myanmar has surplus pigeon pea due to the decrease in export to India; Since pigeon pea is rich in protein and fiber, developing new recipes and changing consumption patterns of the local population can improve the nutrition status of households. Increasing access and adoption of agriculture extension services for livestock and fisheries and the number of livestock producers can improve productivity and result in the nutrition-sensitive food system. Competitiveness To improve market linkages, competitiveness and build a nutrition-sensitive food system, it is essential to invest in improving the quality of the nutrition-rich crops. Also, improving rural infrastructure can increase access to markets. For example, in the mountain region, there is limited connectivity between producers and markets due to lack of infrastructure and regional conflicts. This results in limited income and access to food. Food access also varies among the population residing in this region since there are no fixed markets and motorbike markets are present. Investment to improve market access for both producers and consumers will improve the nutrition-sensitivity of Myanmar’s food system. VI. Conclusion

To understand different issues, challenges, and options for improving multi-sectoral nutrition policy-making, we adopted a food systems perspective. Using a food system approach, we review Agriculture Development Strategy (ADS, drafted by MOALI) to explain the country’s context, policy process, and identify key players. This information is valuable because it will help to identify nutrition-sensitive policies and strategies, and instrumental actors responsible for implementing them. To review ADS, we first completed a desk review and organized two national stakeholder workshops (in December 2017 and March 2018). Using the information from the desk review and the two workshops, we explain the country context, Myanmar’s policy process, and institutional environment, different laws and policies implemented by Myanmar, the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders. We also use information gathered from both these sources to identify analytical and data needs to operationalize ADS from food system’s perspective and identify gaps that need to be addressed in order to make ADS nutrition sensitive. After the review, we develop an AIT (analyze gaps, identify priority investment areas, and track progress) operational framework and apply it ADS and analyze the gaps that need to be addressed to make ADS nutrition-sensitive, provide priority investment areas, and a tracking system which monitors the progress of these investments. Replicating this framework across different sectors/policies will result in a nutrition-sensitive food system. For example, this framework can be applied to policies such as MS-NPAN, land use policy, Myanmar Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (MCCSAP), to ensure that these policies are nutrition sensitive. The Agriculture Development Strategy is used as a starting point and further analysis is needed make Myanmar’s food system nutrition-sensitive. While this paper identifies steps to operationalize ADS from a food system’s perspective, a similar analysis is required for different sectors and policies to build a nutrition-sensitive food system.

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Annex 1: Laws and policies implemented in Myanmar Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

Seed Policy Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI)

National Seed Committee Department of Agricultural Research The Seed Division of Dept. of Agriculture

Seed Law Amendment of the Seed Law of 2011

2011 02/18/2015

The Seed Division of Dept. of Agriculture

Regulations Relating to The Seed Law.

02/23/2016

The Seed Division of Dept. of Agriculture

Seed Policy still to be adopted by the Parliament. National Seed Policy in 2013.

2013

The Seed Division of Dept. of Agriculture

The Road Map for Myanmar Seed Sector

2017-2020

Department of Agricultural Planning

Second Short Term Five Year Agriculture Policies and Strategic Thrusts

2016

Department of Agriculture

Plant Pest Quarantine Law

06/16/1993

MOALI

Import- Export Law Law on Bio Safety Plant Varietal Protection Law

Agriculture MOALI Department of

Agricultural Planning Agriculture Development Strategy Agriculture Policy

Still on developing stage

Fertilizer Ministry of Energy / MOALI

Department of Agriculture Fertilizer Committee Fertilizer Technical Body

Fertilizer Law Fertilizer Rules and Regulations Law Amending the Fertilizer Law

2002 2007 2015

Land

Farm Land Law 2012 Vacant, Fallow and Virgin Land Management Law

2012

31

Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

MOALI Department of Agricultural Land Management and Statistics (DALMS)

Foreign Investment law 2012 Special Economic Zone Law 2014 National Land Use Policy

2016

Water MOALI

Irrigation Department

Conservation of Water Resources and Rivers Law (2006)

2006

The Canal Act 1905 Myanmar Embankment Act (1909)

1909

Myanmar Irrigation Manual (1945) 1945 Water and Embankment Tax Law (1982, revised 2007 1982, revised in

2007 Irrigation Department National Water Policy

2014

Irrigation Department Irrigation Policy Conservation of Water Resources and Rivers Law

2006

Irrigation Department The Canal Act

8/31/2017

Irrigation Department The Canal Act Myanmar

1905

Irrigation Department The Embankment Law August 8,2017 overrides the Embankment Act (Burma Act1V,1909)

8/8/2017

Irrigation Department Myanmar Irrigation Manual (1945)

1945

Irrigation Department Water and Embankment Tax Law (1982, revised 2007) 2007 Irrigation Department Water and Embankment Tax Law, July 05,2017(over rides the Embankment Tax law

1982 7/05/2017

Crops, Rice, Pulses, Oil, Fruits, Vegetables

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Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

MOALI/Ministry of Commerce (MOC)

Beans and Pulses Export Strategy, Department of Trade, 2015-2019 Department of Agriculture

Crops Policy, Oilseeds Policy, Rice Policy, Beans and Pulses Strategy (DRAFT-2017)

Mechanization MOALI/Ministry of Industry

Department of Cooperatives, Agricultural Mechanization Department Ministry of Industry

Mechanization Policy

Fisheries MOALI

Department of Fishery

Fisheries Policy Myanmar Marine Fisheries Law-1990

1990

Amendment to the Myanmar Marine Fisheries Law-1993 1993 Law relating to the Fishing Rights of Foreign Fishing Vessels-1989 1989 Amendment to the Law Relating to the Fishing Rights of Foreign Fishing Vessels-1993 1993 Fresh Water Fisheries Law -1991and Aquaculture Fisheries Law-1989 1989

Livestock MOALI MOALI

Livestock, Breeding and Veterinary Department Livestock, Breeding and Veterinary Department

Animal Health and Development Law (1993) 1993

Animal Health and Development law regulations are carried out in seven Notifications issued under the Animal Health and Development Law. Each notification deals with separate regulations such as Regulation for the Import of Animals into Myanmar Procedures for Import and Export of Animals, Animal Products, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Feed and Veterinary Equipment’s/Farm Equipment’s

Notifications issued under the Animal Health and Development Law Notifications No 44/99 notifying the following disease infected in animals as contagious diseases

1999

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Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

MOALI Livestock, Breeding and Veterinary Department

List A - Foot and mouth disease - Anthrax Notification No. 45/99, regulates the vaccination of the livestock 1999 Notification No. 45/99, regulates the vaccination of the livestock 1999 Notification No 09/2004 regulates to include Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or Mad Cow Disease

2004

Livestock, Breeding and Veterinary Department

Notification No 14/2005 regulates the Feed Business 2005 Notification No 15/2005 regulates the import of animals including feed and animal products

2005

Notification No16/2005 regulates the export of animals, feed and animal products 2005 Notification No17/2005 regulates the inspection points for the export/import of animals, feed and animal products

2005

Livestock Policy Still in drafting stage

Forestry MONREC MONREC Forestry Sector Products Strategy (National Export Strategy)

Food Harvesting FDA/MOALI FDA, MOALI Food Safety Law (revised draft) 2017 2017

Food Handling MOALI MOALI Food Safety Law (revised draft)2017 2017 MOALI/MOC MOALI

Ministry of Commerce FDA

National Drug Law

1992

Food Storage MOALI Food Safety Law (1997)

Post Farm Gate Processing MOALI/MOC MOALI

Ministry of Commerce National Drug Law (1992 National Drug Law (1992

Ministry of Health

FDA Food Safety Law (1997)

MOC MOC Consumer Protection Law (2014) Food Trade and Marketing

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Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

Ministry of Commerce, MOALI Department of Industry Ministry of Finance Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry FDA

Food Consumption Ministry of Health

Ministry of Health ADS Nutrition Policy

Dietary diversity MOH, MOALI, MOE ADS Nutrition Policy Import Export law

Food Standards FDA Food Safety Law

NES 2015-2019

Food Safety

FDA ADS, Nutrition Policy, Food Safety Law 1997

MOC Consumer Protection Law 2014 SPS

FDA/MOALI Food Safety Law (revised) 2017 Biosafety of foods

MOALI, FDA, MOH,

Pesticide Law, 1990

Plant Pest Quarantine Law, 1993 Animal Health and Development Law National Export Strategy, Beans and Pulses, Oilseed Sector Strategy

Food Disposal FDA Food Safety Law with respect to contaminated food

Food Transport The Ministry of

Construction (MoC) Ministry of Border Affairs (MoBA)

The Yangon Ports Act (1905), The Carriage of Goods by sea Act (1925), The Ports Act (1908), The Out Ports Act (1914), The R and Transport and Inland Water Transport law (1963), The Road Transport and Inland Water Transport Functional Rules (1964),

1905 1925 1908 1914 1963 1964

35

Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) the Ministry of Rail Transport (MoRT Maritime cargo handling services

The Road Transport and Inland Water Transport Functional Regulations (1965),

1965

Storage & warehousing services

The Yangon Ports Act (1905), The Ports Act (1908), The Out Ports Act (1914

1905 1914

Freight Transport Agency Services

The Yangon Ports Act (1905), The Ports Act (1908), The Out Ports Act (1914), The Bill of Landing Act (1856), The Carriers Act (1865), The Myanmar Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (1925), The Road Transport and Inland Water Transport law (1963), The Road Transport and Inland Water Transport Functional Rules (1964), The Road Transport and Inland Water Transport Functional Regulations (1965), The Railways Act (1890

1905 1908 1914 1856 1865 1925 1963 1964 1965 1890

Custom Clearance Services International Freight transportation services excluding Cargotage

The Sea Customs Act (1878), The Land Customs Act (1924), The Tariff Law (1992)

The Carriers Act (1865), The Bill of Landing Act (1856), The Maritime Transport Administration Act (1952), The Myanmar Merchant Shipping Act (1923)

1878 1924 1992 1865 1856 1952 1923

International Road Freight Services

Motor Vehicle Law (1964), Motor Vehicle Rules (1989),

1964 1989

In addition (a)Commercial presence of foreign services suppliers and / or providers are permitted in accordance with Myanmar Companies Act 1914, Partnership Act 1923, Myanmar Company Rules 1940, Special Company Act 1950, Special Company (Amendment) Act 1955-1959, Union of Myanmar Foreign Investment Law 1988, Union of Myanmar Citizens’ Investment Law 1994, The Income Tax Law 1974, Notification No. 115/2006,

36

Key Players Sectors involved Laws/Policies Year established

Notification No. 124/2006 of the Ministry of Finance and Revenue, The land Nationalization Act 1953, The transfer of Immoveable Property Restriction Law 1987. (b) Presence of natural persons of foreign service suppliers and / or provider and permitted in accordance with union Myanmar Foreign Investment Law, Myanmar Immigration (Emergency Provisions) Act 1947, the foreigners Act 1864, The Registration of Foreigners Act 1940, The Registration of Foreigners Rules 1948, Immigration Rules and Regulations and procedures of Myanmar.

Source: Author’s compilation

37

Annex 2: ADS review for nutrition sensitive food system

Outcomes Current plans / Evidence needed Analytical and data needs to effectively implement ADS

Gaps

Pillar 1: Improved Governance

Effective integrated planning based on participatory processes both at the union and at the state/region level.

• Integrating existing plans of different departments.

• Data outcomes of existing programs and policies focusing on nutrition.

• Lack of nutrition integration in existing plans/programs different departments.

• Limited to no incorporating non-agriculture criteria such as health and nutrition into decision making.

Improved capacity for policy formulation and analysis

• Review exiting nutrition policies/ programs.

• Commission policy studies • Conduct regular independent policy

reviews.

• Increased understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages.

• Policy studies focusing on agriculture nutrition linkages.

• Independent review of policies related to nutrition.

• Lack of understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages.

Timely and Effective Monitoring and Evaluation processes

• Strengthening capacity of M&E units at the union

• Implementation plan involves monitoring and evaluation of the nutritional outcomes.

• No standardize procedure to collect data in a reliable and timely data.

Sound statistical systems for evidence-based decisions

• Conduct Agriculture, Livestock and Fishers Census.

• Improve current system of collection of ag statistics using ICT

• Conduct annual surveys on key issues identified by policy division.

• Collect data beyond production.

• Include nutrition status of household in the census.

• Include nutrition status/outcomes in annual survey.

• No standardize procedure to collect data in a reliable and timely manner.

• No clear procedure to collect household level data focusing on nutrition status.

Strong farmer and industry associations and federations

• Promote the formation of farmer associations and their federations to empower farmers in marketing and resource use as well as engagement on government policy and regulatory issues.

• Conduct annual meetings of MOALI with farmer organizations at the state/region and union level.

• Include nutrition discussion in annual meeting of MOALI and farmer organizations.

• Lack in communication focusing on nutrition outcomes between government, farmer associate private sector.

38

Outcomes Current plans / Evidence needed Analytical and data needs to effectively implement ADS

Gaps

Strengthened farmers’ land rights and enhanced capacity of institutions involved in agricultural land.

• Remove restrictions that condition securing tenure through land titling over land held by smallholders.

• Securing the holding and use of agricultural land of smallholders once these have been titled.

• Document and register land rights of smallholders, families and communities, by land use certification or otherwise (especially for community land rights) which, under current legislation, does not qualify for such registration

• Creating an environment of free crop choice for farmers so that they can respond to market dynamics and different shocks;

• Easing the strict land use conditions of titled land holdings such as meeting certain quota for rice production, continuous use of land with prohibition of fallowing, limited time to put new land under production for smallholders as compared to commercial land holdings.

MOALI capacity for ADS coordination and implementation enhanced and guided by MOALI professional expertise and democratically appointed, gender equitable civil society representatives.

• Establish coordination unit for implementing ADS under DOP.

• Improved understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages of staff working in the new coordination unit.

• Limited to no understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages among MOALI staff.

Improved food and nutrition security of most disadvantaged groups

• Design targeted food and nutrition security programs.

• Implement targeted food and nutrition security programs.

• Coordinate with ongoing food and nutrition security and multi-sector initiatives on nutrition and poverty alleviation

• Identify measures such as food for work programs, food or input vouchers, income support etc.

• Identify target groups such as women headed households, landless households, ethnic people in remote areas for which food and nutrition security could be applied.

• Rice is given major emphasis for right reason.

• Explore other food processed foods – milk for example, to enhance their micronutrient content.

• Improve coordination and promote multisector initiatives on nutrition and poverty alleviation.

MOALI restructured to better integrate existing units and become more responsive to farmers, enterprises, and civil society.

• Evaluate alternative options for MOALI restructuring

• Improved understanding of agriculture nutrition linkages throughout MOALI.

Lack of understanding of ag nutrition linkages at different levels.

39

Outcomes Current plans / Evidence needed Analytical and data needs to effectively implement ADS

Gaps

Pillar 2: Productivity

Improved agriculture research system for crop, livestock, and fisheries.

• Establish National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) to coordinate and provide overall guidance to research on crops, livestock, and fisheries and establishment of Myanmar Academy of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries services to carry out NARC policy affairs.

• Develop Research Master Plan to establish research priorities and research programs.

• Research activities contribute to increasing the productivity of the nutrient rich crops in addition to staple crops.

• Include nutrition in research priorities and the link between crops, livestock, fishers and nutrition outcomes.

• Budget allocation needs to be monitored among the crops, livestock, and fisheries research.

• Specific emphasis on nutrient rich commodities could be made as policy focus using nutritional objective.

Transformed public-private agricultural extension system delivering improved products (crop, livestock, fisheries) and technology for adoption and adaptation, better linked to agriculture research.

• Review extension system and formulate national extension policy and strategy, encompassing the functional mandate of MOALI (crops, livestock, fisheries, cooperatives, and rural and community development),

• Develop, document and regularly up-date extension procedures

• Identify priorities for extension work and make extension plans

• Include the impact of agriculture on nutrition in the extension policy and strategy.

• Analyze the impact of current extension programs on nutritional status of households receiving extension services.

• Lack of communication between research and extension staff.

• Lack of nutrition content in higher education for courses.

Develop (or revive) effective education and training to build “human capital” in the agricultural and food sector responding to the evolving needs of farmers and the private sector in rural areas.

• The current Yezin Agriculture Universities upgraded into one consolidated university with colleges for agriculture, livestock and fisheries with both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

• Three-year diploma curriculums of State Agricultural Institutes (SAI) in all states and regions upgraded to provide training on all key sectorial disciplines, including agriculture, livestock, fisheries, farm machinery, food technology, farm management, agribusiness and marketing.

• Include nutrition content in agriculture courses.

• Strengthen policy, institutional, and human capacity for nutrition and gender sensitive agriculture interventions,

• Emphasis on nutritional goals and outcomes is needed.

• Ensure that training curriculum reaches at all levels and covers critical value chains and agro-ecological regions.

40

Outcomes Current plans / Evidence needed Analytical and data needs to

effectively implement ADS Gaps

More efficient and sustainable irrigation and water use systems

• Develop regulations for the Myanmar National Water Policy.

• Develop appropriate measures for water management in rainfed agriculture

• Establish program on groundwater development

• Data on access to irrigation • Farmers using sustainable and

on-farm water management techniques

• Incorporate WASH considerations in the sectoral policies.

Increased use of improved crop production inputs and technologies by crop growers

• Update and enforce quality standard and strengthen the fertilizer inspection system through capacity building of soil fertility division.

• Strengthen pesticide and herbicide information and quality assurance systems

• Review current seed policy and its impact

• Increase understanding about the quality and quantity of inputs need to be used.

Increased application of appropriate mechanization in the agricultural value chain

• Widely used modernized postharvest technology processes.

• Analysis for performance of agricultural SMEs in each region

• Increased use of mechanization can prevent post-harvest loss and decrease loss of nutrient content in food produced.

Increased use of improved animal and fish breeding, health and husbandry service and technologies by livestock producers industries using sustainable practices

• Support restructuring and expansion of aquaculture seedling infrastructure for the production and distribution of fish and shrimp seed

• Establish network of aquaculture technology centers

• Promote initiatives for aquaculture optimization, land development, and care and pen technology.

• Animal health information system

• Baseline survey regarding animal population

• Inventory and database of animal pastures, fodder and feed systems

• Sustainable intensification includes diversification for protein and micronutrients.

• Potential to increase dietary Diversity and nutrition.

• Food safety regulations.

41

Sustainable Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Veterinary Husbandry Practices (GVAHP) are established and adopted

• Establish standards and promote practices that are consistent with regional standards regarding commodities destined to export.

• Nutrition education and its contents - limited knowledge

• Nutrition preservation through the value and supply chains. Lack of nutrition and home science capacity in agriculture sector. Ensure that training curriculum reaches at all levels and covers critical value chains and agro-ecological regions.

Outcomes Current plans / Evidence needed Analytical and data needs to effectively implement

ADS

Gaps

Resilience of Farmers to Climate Change and Disasters improved

• Conduct research on stress tolerant varieties and breeds of crops, livestock and fish

• Food safety of stress tolerant varieties

• Diversify food consumed. • Understanding the importance of

balanced diet among consumers and increased prepared to maintain nutrition security during emergency.

Pillar 3: Competitiveness

Improved business environment, information and investment along the agri-food supply chain.

• Institutional, legal, regulatory and procedural framework commercial and business operations and contract.

• Develop implementing regulations for the Law of consumer protection and operationalize public and private processes for resolving consumer complaints.

• Research on nutrition preservation through value and supply chains

• Extension and farm home assistants helping to develop new forms and combinations of nutrient rich foods.

• Develop new recipes; limited capacity at all levels for promoting dietary diversity and consumption of nutrient rich foods.

Protected intellectual property rights for the agricultural and food sector.

• Approve patent law • Develop, approve, and implement plant

variety protection law

• Data & analysis for import of agricultural inputs.

• Quality of crop inputs imported from neighboring countries and available in market.

• Low stand of crop inputs available in markets.

Reliable quality system that helps farmers and food processors get higher prices for higher quality goods,

• Develop standards and certifications, quality grading, control measures, and reliable conformity assessment procedures

• Current standard of goods available in the markets.

• Data on low quality goods produced.

• Limited testing laborites

42

incentivizing quality upgrading developed. Enhanced framework for gender-equitable and participatory planning and implementation of rural development programmes institutionalized.

• Village level community development initiatives.

• Clear definition of resource ownership, control, and use by female headed households.

• Training in rural entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

Rural infrastructure improves smallholder agriculture efficiency and profitability.

• Build farm roads, increase access to electricity, water, markets.

• Number of people with access to roads/markets, portable water, water for irrigation, and electricity.

• Information regarding markets not available to farmers.

• Lack of understanding regarding the importance of clean water drinking.

Outcomes Current plans / Evidence needed Analytical and data needs to

effectively implement ADS Gaps

Increased competitiveness and stakeholder participation in agricultural value chains engaged with prioritized commodities

• Promote growth of innovative small and medium (SME) agro-enterprises and agricultural board activities of small and medium (SME) agro-enterprises and agricultural board activities of small-scale industries.

• Current opportunities to improve quality of prioritized crops.

• Training related to local food processing, food preservation and utilization; women cooperatives for value addition; ensuring income from SMEs spent on nutrition.

• Ensure the curriculum of the training involves use of income from SMEs to promote women empowerment and in nutrition enhancement of women and children

• High recognition for women’s role in food exists and policy documents reflect this.

Enhanced food quality and safety

• System, institutional and human capacity for food safety and quality control form nutritional perspective

• Include verifying quality control for nutrition contents, in the case of fortified foods.

• Ensure that the regulatory system is in place and quality control mechanism is implemented throughout the value chain to meet the nutrition goals. Investment needed in developing protocols and capacity at all levels

Improved access to a range of financial services for farmers and agribusiness enterprises

• Develop agricultural finance policy that encourages banks, MFIs, non-bank financial institutions such as leasing and finance companies and insurance companies to provide needed services to rural communities.

• Clear linkage to nutritional outcome.

• The implementation strategy needs to recognize the link between the microfinance and nutrition outcomes

43

Source: Author’s compilation

• Develop implementing regulations for approved financial institutions law

• Revise law of microfinance • Approve key regulations that would

allow growth in e-money or mobile money.

Trade facilitated agri-food and agricultural products export growth.

• Reduce licensing requirements for imports and for agricultural food exports.

• Develop more effective trade facilitation capacities to reduce cost of clearing foods through customs and border control

• Upgrade customs clearance processes and logistics facilities for key land border crossings

• Negotiate with neighboring countries to improve the trading regime at land-border.

• Correctly identified policy focus; but check if aligned with emerging trade policy issues and challenges

• Limited alignment of trade and marketing policies to meet the nutrition objectives of the population.

• Increased dialogue and coordination with the Ministry of Commerce will help in implementation.

44

Annex 3: Investment priorities to build a nutrition sensitive ADS

Outcomes Investment Priorities Pillar 1: Improved Governance

Effective integrated planning based on participatory processes both at the union and at the state/region level.

• Multisectoral policy advocacy, planning and analysis to support nutrition across relevant ministries.

Improved capacity for policy formulation and analysis

• Strengthen capacity of national nutrition laboratory and relevant research institutions. • Strengthen capacity of local authorities, service providers and partners on actions to ensure food

and nutrition security. •

Timely and Effective Monitoring and Evaluation processes

• Establish monitoring framework to track and measure progress and contributions towards goals, targets and indicators.

Sound statistical systems for evidence-based decisions

• Establish a national integrated food and nutrition security surveillance system and enhance early warning.

• Conduct timely, national household surveys with state/region representation and support. • Strengthen regular monitoring of key indicators with partners for early warning on food and

nutrition security situation, including climate. Strong farmer and industry associations and federations

• Establish farmer groups and associations, and train groups in producing nutrient-rich crops, the importance of crop-diversity, input use and management.

• Increase in communication between farmers associations, private sector Strengthened farmers’ land rights and enhanced capacity of institutions involved in agricultural land.

• Programme to strengthen institutional and functional capacity of agricultural land management and administration institutions implemented.

• Identify existing and potential land use patterns and allocate agricultural and pasture land to different uses, including earmarking land for rice and other crops.

• Undertake study to determine impact of the two land laws since 2012 and propose changes in and/or additions to land policies and laws.

MOALI capacity for ADS coordination and implementation enhanced and guided by MOALI professional expertise and democratically appointed, gender equitable civil society representatives.

• Improved community knowledge and awareness of maternal, IYCF and family practices for nutrition.

Improved food and nutrition security of most disadvantaged groups

• Improved community knowledge and awareness of maternal, IYCF and family practices for nutrition

• Improved equitable coverage of nutrition services • Establish national strategy and guidelines to control micronutrient deficiencies, including

supplementation, fortification and dietary diversification and vulnerable

45

MOALI restructured to better integrate existing units and become more responsive to farmers, enterprises, and civil society.

• Increase in efficiency and collaboration among MOALI units.

Pillar 2: Productivity Improved agriculture research system for crop, livestock, and fisheries

• Increase in investment for agriculture research system. • Increase in investment for research focusing on nutrient dense crops.

Transformed public-private agricultural extension system delivering improved products (crop, livestock, fisheries) and technology for adoption and adaptation, better linked to agriculture research.

• Increase in investment in extension for crop diversification. • Increase in capacity of extension professionals for nutrition.

Develop (or revive) effective education and training to build “human capital” in the agricultural and food sector responding to the evolving needs of farmers and the private sector in rural areas.

• Increase in nutrition related courses at university level. • Nutrition content included in Agriculture courses and vice-versa. • Establishment of food and Nutrition Department in Yezin Agriculture University.

More efficient and sustainable irrigation and water use systems

• Improved water management techniques such as water harvesting, and storage included in agriculture extension and advisory services.

• Improved irrigation investment for crop diversification Increased use of improved crop production inputs and technologies by crop growers

• Increase in farmers trainings focusing on production inputs such as fertilizer and pesticide use. • Annual soil testing introduced to provide farmers with accurate information regarding fertilizer

use.

Increased application of appropriate mechanization in the agricultural value chain

• Investment increase in on farm mechanization. • Investment increase in processing and value addition at local levels.

Increased use of improved animal and fish breeding, health and husbandry service and technologies by livestock producer’s industries using sustainable practices

• Increase in extension workers providing animal and fish breeding practices. • Increased investment in Animal and high breeding services

Sustainable Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Veterinary Husbandry Practices (GVAHP) are established and adopted

• Investment in developing institutional capacity for GAP and GVAHP

Resilience of Farmers to Climate Change and Disasters improved

• Increased climate smart agriculture and conservation-oriented crop, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and forest utilization practices and conservation farming.

Pillar 3: Competitiveness Improved business environment, information and investment along the agri-food supply chain.

• Investment increase to make agri-food supply chains nutrition sensitive

46

Protected intellectual property rights for the agricultural and food sector.

• Investment in IPR system including seed system

Reliable quality system that helps farmers and food processors get higher prices for higher quality goods, incentivizing quality upgrading developed.

• Investment in quality control along the food processing chains • Investment in quality upgrading system

Enhanced framework for gender-equitable and participatory planning and implementation of rural development programs institutionalized.

• Gender mainstreaming of the food security interventions • Gender and nutrition goals identified in rural development programs

Rural infrastructure improves smallholder agriculture efficiency and profitability.

• Investment is rural markets and cold storage for making institutional rich

Increased competitiveness and stakeholder participation in agricultural value chains engaged with prioritized commodities

• Commodities affordable to rural and urban community.

Increased use of improved animal and fish breeding, health and husbandry service and technologies by livestock producer’s industries using sustainable practices

• Increase in extension workers providing animal and fish breeding practices. • Increased investment in Animal and high breeding services

Sustainable Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Veterinary Husbandry Practices (GVAHP) are established and adopted

• Investment in developing institutional capacity for GAP and GVAHP

Resilience of Farmers to Climate Change and Disasters improved

• Increased climate smart agriculture and conservation-oriented crop, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and forest utilization practices and conservation farming.

Pillar 3: Competitiveness • Improved business environment, information and investment along the agri-food supply chain.

• Investment increase to make agri-food supply chains nutrition sensitive •

Protected intellectual property rights for the agricultural and food sector.

• Investment in IPR system including seed system

Reliable quality system that helps farmers and food processors get higher prices for higher quality goods, incentivizing quality upgrading developed.

• Investment in quality control along the food processing chains • Investment in quality upgrading system

Enhanced framework for gender-equitable and participatory planning and implementation of rural development programs institutionalized.

• Gender mainstreaming of the food security interventions • Gender and nutrition goals identified in rural development programs

Rural infrastructure improves smallholder agriculture efficiency and profitability.

• Investment is rural markets and cold storage for making institutional rich

Increased competitiveness and stakeholder participation in agricultural value chains engaged with prioritized commodities

• Commodities affordable to rural and urban community.

47

Source: Author’s compilation

Enhanced food quality and safety

• Promote food fortification, such as rice (production, control, marketing, setting guidelines/standards)

• Support and promote home-fortification with multiple micronutrient powder (MNP) among children 6-23 months through health, social protection and social marketing channels

Improved access to a range of financial services for farmers and agribusiness enterprises

• Access to financial capacity for animal breeding, and aquaculture. • Support growth of at-home processing of locally available food products, including fruits,

vegetables, livestock and fishery products, and other nutrition-friendly local foods (for home-consumption and sale)

Trade facilitated agri-food and agricultural products export growth.

• Provide technical support to increase export of surplus crops (pulses) and livestock.

48

Annex 4: Investment Plan to build a nutrition sensitive ADS

Outcomes Investment Priorities 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total 2019

- 2023 US$ Mill. US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill

Pillar 1: Improved Governance Effective integrated planning based on participatory processes both at the union and at the state/region level.

Multisectoral policy advocacy, planning, and analysis to support nutrition across relevant ministries. 0.456 0.656 0.872 0.92 1 3.904

Improved capacity for policy formulation and analysis

Strengthen capacity of national nutrition laboratory and relevant research institutions. 1.6 0 0 1.6 0 3.2 Strengthen capacity of local authorities, service providers and partners on actions to ensure food and nutrition security. 32 40 48 48 48 216

Timely and Effective Monitoring and Evaluation processes

Establish monitoring framework to track and measure progress and contributions towards goals, targets and indicators. 306.9664 276.0784 278.2704 271.2464 1406.8144

Sound statistical systems for evidence-based decisions

Establish a national integrated food and nutrition security surveillance system and enhance early warning. 72.12 107 120.04 124.648 129.448 553.256 Conduct timely, national household surveys with state/region representation and support. 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 2.08 8.48 Strengthen regular monitoring of key indicators with partners for early warning on food and nutrition security situation, including climate. 0.08 0.08 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.52

Strong farmer and industry associations and federations

Establish farmer groups and associations, and train groups in producing nutrient-rich crops, the importance of crop-diversity, input use and management. 11.2 11.2 11.2 11.2 11.2 56 Increase in communication between farmers associations, private sector 15.36 16.16 17.6 17.6 17.6 84.32

49

Outcomes Investment Priorities 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total 2019

- 2023 US$ Mill. US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill

Strengthened farmers’ land rights and enhanced capacity of institutions involved in agricultural land.

Programme to strengthen institutional and functional capacity of agricultural land management and administration institutions implemented. 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 4 Identify existing and potential land use patterns and allocate agricultural and pasture land to different uses, including earmarking land for rice and other crops. 17.136 17.152 17.12 17.12 17.12 85.648 Undertake study to determine impact of the two land laws since 2012 and propose changes in and/or additions to land policies and laws. 0.016 0.032 0 0 0 0.048

MOALI capacity for ADS coordination and implementation enhanced and guided by MOALI professional expertise and democratically appointed, gender equitable civil society representatives.

Improved community knowledge and awareness of maternal, IYCF and family practices for nutrition. 0.9632 0.2112 0.2112 0.8832 0.2112 2.48

Improved food and nutrition security of most disadvantaged groups

Improved equitable coverage of nutrition services 0.8 1.632 1.6 0.832 0.8 5.664 Establish national strategy and guidelines to control micronutrient deficiencies, including supplementation, fortification and dietary diversification for targeted households 0.8 1.632 1.6 0.832 0.8 5.664

MOALI restructured to better integrate existing units and become more responsive to farmers, enterprises, and civil society.

Increase in efficiency and collaboration among MOALI units. 0.512 0.576 1.0688 1.472 2.712 6.3408

Pillar 2: Productivity Increase in investment for agriculture research system. 0.0352 0 0 0 0 0.0352

50

Outcomes Investment Priorities 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total 2019

- 2023 US$ Mill. US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill

Improved agriculture research system for crop, livestock, and fisheries

Increase in investment for research focusing on nutrient dense crops. 0.032 0.048 0.1168 0.16 0.16 0.5168

Transformed public-private agricultural extension system delivering improved products (crop, livestock, fisheries) and technology for adoption and adaptation, better linked to agriculture research.

Increase in investment in extension for crop diversification. 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 4

Increase in capacity of extension professionals for nutrition. 0.1904 0.2224 0.2384 0.2704 0.3504 1.2704

Develop (or revive) effective education and training to build “human capital” in the agricultural and food sector responding to the evolving needs of farmers and the private sector in rural areas.

Increase in nutrition related courses at university level. 0.512 0 0 0.48 0 0.992 Nutrition content included in Agriculture courses and vice-versa. 0 0.064 0 0.064 0 0.128 Establishment of food and Nutrition Department in Yezin Agriculture University. 0.032 0 0.032 0 0.064 0.096

More efficient and sustainable irrigation and water use systems

More efficient and sustainable irrigation systems with transformation of more land from conventional rain-fed/plot-to-plot irrigated farming to consolidated irrigation farming and intensive production of rice and other crops. 330.4 330.4 330.4 330.4 328.8 1650.4

Increased use of improved crop production inputs and technologies by crop growers

Increase in use of improved farm production technologies by crop growers, including availability, access to and use of improved farm inputs 31.2 24 24 24 24 127.2

Increased application of appropriate mechanization in the agricultural value chain

Investment increase in processing and value addition at local levels. 0.8 1.6 3.2 3.2 1.6 10.4

Increased use of improved animal and fish breeding, health and husbandry service and technologies by livestock

Increase in extension workers providing animal and fish breeding practices. 6.48 6.24 4.48 4.48 4.48 26.16 Increased investment in Animal and high breeding services 6.88 14.08 9.552 4.9888 22.2208 57.7216

51

Outcomes Investment Priorities 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total 2019

- 2023 US$ Mill. US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill

producer’s industries using sustainable practices Sustainable Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Veterinary Husbandry Practices (GVAHP) are established and adopted

Investment in developing institutional capacity for GAP and GVAHP 1.76 3.36 1.76 1.76 1.76 10.4

Resilience of Farmers to Climate Change and Disasters improved

Increased climate smart agriculture and conservation-oriented crop, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and forest utilization practices and conservation farming. 19.12 12.48 19.36 19.04 16.64 94.32

Pillar 3: Competitiveness Improved business environment, information and investment along the agri-food supply chain.

Investment increase to make agri-food supply chains nutrition sensitive 0.24 0.32 0.52 0.64 0.16 0.6

Protected intellectual property rights for the agricultural and food sector.

Investment in IPR system including seed system 0 0 0 0 0 0

Reliable quality system that helps farmers and food processors get higher prices for higher quality goods, incentivizing quality upgrading developed.

Investment in quality control along the food processing chains 3.536 5.12 5.808 6.448 5.648 26.56 Adoption and practice by households, farms, food processing units, public and private institutions and the hospitality sector of processes and practices that minimize the loss or wastage of food 26.88 32.64 34.4 32.4 32.72 159.04

Enhanced framework for gender-equitable and participatory planning and implementation of rural development programs institutionalized.

Gender mainstreaming of the food security interventions 4.224 4.584 0.8 5.104 5.184 19.896 Gender and nutrition goals identified in rural development programs 4.224 4.584 0.8 5.104 5.184 19.896

Rural infrastructure improves smallholder agriculture efficiency and profitability.

Investment is rural markets and cold storage for making institutional rich 406.112 637.056 673.152 706.128 738.24 3160.688

52

Outcomes Investment Priorities 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Total 2019

- 2023 US$ Mill. US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill US$ Mill

Increased competitiveness and stakeholder participation in agricultural value chains engaged with prioritized commodities

Commodities affordable to rural and urban community. 19.12 12.48 19.36 19.04 16.64 94.32

Enhanced food quality and safety

Promote food fortification, such as rice (production, control, marketing, setting guidelines/standards) 0.32 0.32 0.32 0.48 0.48 1.92 Support and promote home-fortification with multiple micronutrient powder (MNP) among children 6-23 months through health, social protection and social marketing channels 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 3.2 16

Improved access to a range of financial services for farmers and agribusiness enterprises

Access to financial capacity for animal breeding, and aquaculture. 0 0 0 0 0 0 Support growth of at-home processing of locally available food products, including fruits, vegetables, livestock and fishery products, and other nutrition-friendly local foods (for home-consumption and sale) 0.24 0.384 0.352 0.352 0.352 1.68

Trade facilitated agri-food and agricultural products export growth.

Provide technical support to increase export of surplus crops (pulses) and livestock. 0.016 0.032 0.048 0.064 0.08 0.24

53

Annex 5: Tracking system for nutrition sensitive ADS

Outcomes Indicators for Nutrition Sensitive Food System

Pillar 1: Governance Effective integrated planning based on participatory processes both at the union and at the state/region level.

• Development of sub-national integrated implementation plans to reach goals and state/regional profiles for food and nutrition security.

• Nutrition sensitive strategies are integrated into other sector responses for WASH, Shelter, Food Security and Livelihoods

Improved capacity for policy formulation and analysis • Multi-sectoral policy advocacy, planning and analysis to support nutrition across relevant ministries adapted

• Strengthened evidence-base for nutrition policy development and analysis. • Develop a national research agenda and promote relevant studies, including on cost-effective

multi-sectoral models for scaling up nutrition, technologies, effects of food prices, etc. Timely and Effective Monitoring and Evaluation processes

• Regular monitoring of key indicators of nutrition status of the population • Establish monitoring framework to track and measure progress and contributions towards goals,

targets and indicators of ADS Sound statistical systems for evidence-based decisions • The availability, quality and analysis of nutrition and related indicators in relevant sector

monitoring systems (e.g. Agriculture and rural statistics, Livestock, etc.) strengthened.

Strong farmer and industry associations and federations • Form and establish farmer groups and associations. • Increase in communication between farmers association, private sector, and MOALI

Strengthened farmers’ land rights and enhanced capacity of institutions involved in agricultural land.

• Institutional and functional capacity of agricultural land management and administration institutions strengthened.

• Identify existing and potential land use patterns. • Promote crop diversification.

MOALI capacity for ADS coordination and implementation enhanced and guided by MOALI professional expertise and democratically appointed, gender equitable civil society representatives.

• Coordination, planning, monitoring and information for agriculture, livestock, fisheries, food and nutrition strengthened.

Improved food and nutrition security of most disadvantaged groups

• Increase in nutrition intake for mothers, children under five and adolescent girls. • Access to quality health services and a safe, hygienic environment across different unions/states. • Implementation of pro-poor, gender sensitive planning and budgeting at all levels of

governance.

54

Outcomes Indicators for Nutrition Sensitive Food System

MOALI restructured to better integrate existing units and become more responsive to farmers, enterprises, and civil society.

• Food systems approach adopted.

Pillar 2: Productivity Improved agriculture research system for crop, livestock, and fisheries

• Adoption of improved crops, fisheries, livestock, diversity for farming

Transformed public-private agricultural extension system delivering improved products (crop, livestock, fisheries) and technology for adoption and adaptation, better linked to agriculture research.

• Increase number of farmers with access to extension, fisheries and livestock for crop diversification

• Increase in adoption of extension techniques by farmers for crops rich in nutrients

Develop (or revive) effective education and training to build “human capital” in the agricultural and food sector responding to the evolving needs of farmers and the private sector in rural areas.

• Number of graduation with agri-nutrition training • Increase in research on new food and new food recipes to correct diversified diets

More efficient and sustainable irrigation and water use systems

• Farmers adopting improved water safety technologies • Area under irrigation for nutrient rich, diversified training system

Increased use of improved crop production inputs and technologies by crop growers

• Increase in access and adoption of modern inputs • Increased use of optimal inputs for diversification of farming systems

Increased application of appropriate mechanization in the agricultural value chain

• Area and diversified farming (nutrition rich crops) under mechanism • Number of farmer organization processing fruits and vegetables and livestock and poultry

products

Increased use of improved animal and fish breeding, health and husbandry service and technologies by livestock producer’s industries using sustainable practices

• Increase in access and adoption of agriculture extension services for livestock and fisheries • Increase in number of livestock producers and high producer adopting sustainable practices

Sustainable Farming, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Veterinary Husbandry Practices (GVAHP) are established and adopted

• Number of farmers adopting GAPs and GVAHPs

Resilience of Farmers to Climate Change and Disasters improved

• Increase in number of farmers with access to weather related information • Policy and management of food stocks for emergencies, including storage, pre-positioning and

post-distribution monitoring strengthened. • Regular monitoring of key indicators with partners for early warning on food and nutrition

security situation, including climate Pillar 3: Competitiveness

55

Outcomes Indicators for Nutrition Sensitive Food System

Improved business environment, information and investment along the agri-food supply chain.

• Number of value chains that are nutrition sensitive (details given in the paper)

Protected intellectual property rights for the agricultural and food sector.

• IPR adopted for nutrient rich crops and their seed systems

Reliable quality system that helps farmers and food processors get higher prices for higher quality goods, incentivizing quality upgrading developed.

• Quality standards adopting for nutrient rich crops

Enhanced framework for gender-equitable and participatory planning and implementation of rural development programmes institutionalized.

• Increased community-driven rural development initiatives • Capacity building for income generation in rural areas

Rural infrastructure improves smallholder agriculture efficiency and profitability.

• Access to electricity, portable water, sanitation facilities increased. • Information technology and communication systems in rural areas established

Increased competitiveness and stakeholder participation in agricultural value chains engaged with prioritized commodities

• Number of local groups and networks active on promoting sustainable farming and food production increased.

• System for near real-time collection and sharing of market information established. Enhanced food quality and safety • Grading, quality control and adherence to safety and other standards in production and

marketing of food products established Improved access to a range of financial services for farmers and agribusiness enterprises

• Accessed to financial capacity for animal breeding and aquaculture improved.

Trade facilitated agri-food and agricultural products export growth.

• Increase in export of pulses and livestock.

Source: Author’s compilation

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